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L. A. NIVEN 



THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER 
ORCHARD BOOK 



\ 



How To Succeed 



WITH 



The Home Orchard 



/- By 

Lf^^vfovEN, B.Agr. 

Advertising Manager 

THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER 



THE PROGRESSIVE 
FARMER COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 



Raleigh Birmingham Memphis 

Atlanta Dallas 



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Copyright, 1920, 

By 

The Progressive Farmer Company 



DEC 17 1920 

C1A600447 






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CONTENTS 



Chapter I. Plan of the Orchard. 

Chapter II. The Site or Location of the Orchard. 

Chapter III. When, Where and How to Buy Fruit Trees. 

Chapter IV. Description of Some Leading Varieties of Apples 
and Peaches. 

Chapter V. Treatment of Trees Wlien Received From Nursery. 

Chapter VI. Setting Fruit Trees. 

Chapter VII. Heading Back Fruit Trees at Time of Setting. 

Chapter VIII Cultivating the Orchard. 

Chapter IX. Fertilizing Fruit Trees. 

Chapter X. Pecan Growing in the South. 

Chapter XL h^igs Grow Well in Cotton Belt. 

Chapter XII. Pruning Fruit Trees. 

Chapter XIII. Grading and Displaying Fruits. 

Chapter XIV. V^arieties of Fruit That Should Succeed in the 
South. 

Chapter XV. Tools X'^eeded to Do First Class Pruning. 

Chapter XVI. Winter Spraying of Fruit Trees. 

Chapter XVII. Spring and Summer Sprays for Different Fruits. 

Chapter XVIII. How to Make the Summer Spray Mixtures. 

Chapter XIX. Storing Apples for Winter. 



PREFACE 

This little book is intended to cover tiie ABC's of orchard work. 
It is not a complete, technical discussion of fruit-growing, but has 
for its purpose the giving of helpful hints and plain directions to 
those who wish to succeed with the home orchard. 

It is a well known fact that the home orchard — and a good one 
at that — should be on every southern farm. We know that this is 
not now the case. In fact, not one farm in ten has an up-to-date 
home orchard. Many people put out fruit trees and let them "knock" 
for themselves, and the result' is disappointment. By following the 
simple suggestions given in this little book, anyone, it matters not 
how inexperienced he may be in fruit growing, can have a good 
home orchard. 

We wish to make it clear tliat we have attempted in this book 
to discuss this proposition solely from the standpoint of the farmer 
who is interested in fruit-growing only to the extent of having a 
home orchard to supply the home with all the fresh fruits needed, 
and who, from time to time, markets the surplus fruit in the fresh 
form in nearby towns, either by taking it directly there in a truck, 
wagon or buggy, or by shipping it by express.. 

The Home Orchard Brings Many Benefits. — We wish rigtht 
here and now to make a plea for the home orchard. No home or 
farm, where there is available space for a home orchard, is any- 
thing like complete without one. It has been proven again and 
again that those who consume a liberal supply of fruits and vege- 
tables have far less sickness tlian those who consume few, if any, 
fruits and vegetables, but eat heavily of meats. 

And then it is the absolute right of every person living on a 
farm — both old and young (especially the young) to have an 
abundance of fruits. The farm boy or girl who cannot get plenty 
of peaches, apples, plums, grapes, etc., is denied a needed pleasure. 
All of these can be grown so easily and with such little expense that 
it is an injustice to the farm family not to grow them. 

After reading this little book any person of ordinary intelligence 
can succeed with a home orchard if he will just follow the instruc- 
tions given. If you are one of those who has been doing without 
fruit', make up your mind right now not to continue in this class. 

L. A. NiVEN. 

December, 1920. 



CHAPTER I. 



PLAN OF THE ORCHARD. 

The very first thing .to do after deciding to set out an 
orchard is to make a careful plan of same. This should be 
done before it is even decided just where the orchard is to 
be located. First decide how much ground is to be given 
to the orchard ; then decide how many trees of the different 
kinds of fruits are to be set ; then figure the distance apart, 
between the rows and between the fruit trees in the rows, 
for the different kinds of fruits. 

Make a Drawing of the Orchard. — It need not be drawn 
to scale, but can be drawn so as to serve the purpose satis- 
factorily merely by the use of a pencil and rule. 

Draw a square block in the middle of the sheet of paper, 
making a double line — or a very heavy line — indicating the 
outer edges and the ends of the orchard. Then draw a line 
in the direction the rows are to run, making it a thin narrow 
line, with either pencil or pen and ink. 

Then on these lines draw a circle indicating the place 
where each fruit tree is to be set. Of course, before draw- 
ing these circles you must decide just how many rows of 
the different kinds of fruits you are going to have, and 
decide the distance apart, so as to place the circle in the 
right place. 

How TO Distinguish Varieties. 

Such a plan as this can be drawn up very quickly, and 
by writing under each circle the name of the variety of each 
fruit it will be easy to determine just what variety each 
tree is, and this knowledge may prove very desirable at 
some time in the future. Those who are not experts in the 
matter cannot always tell the variety of peaches, apples, 
etc., by the fruit itself, and by referring to this little map- 
plan will enable one to tell what variety any particular 
tree is. 



How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 






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Plan of the Orchard 9 

Draw Up Plan. — Of course, each side of the orchard 
. plan should he labeled according to direction, that is, east, 
west, north or south. 

Some may deem this needless work, but we have had 
enough experience in the setting of small home orchards to 
know that this is not only not a needless piece of work, but 
highly desirable. It does not require nuich work and thought 
to draw up such a plan and to properly label it. Therefore, 
we earnestly recommend that everyone setting a home 
orchard draw up one of these plans. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE SITE OR LOCATION OF THE ORCHARD. 

The site or location of the orchard is extremely im- 
portant. Careful thought should be given to this phase of 
the matter before the fruit trees are even ordered. Study 
every available piece of ground on your farm and decide 
which is the best place, all conditions being considered. 

Give Careful Consideration to tiie Fertility of the Soil. — 

One thing that we should like to emphasize : Don't pick 
out a poor piece of ground for the home orchard. In the 
cotton belt we believe one of the best methods of deter- 
mining how rich a piece of ground should be selected for 
the orchard is to say that the orchard shall be put on a 
piece of ground that will produce not less than a bale of 
cotton per acre when properly fertilized and well cultivated. 
In that part of the South above the cotton belt we believe 
a piece of ground that will produce at least 35 to 40 bushels 
of corn per acre should be selected. This, of course, is 
looking at it from the standpoint of soil fertility alone. But 
we want to emphasize this particular point, because fruit 
trees are plants just the same as corn or cotton, and to dc 
the best they must be planted on soil that is reasonably 
fertile. 

Of course, the home orchard should be as near the house 
as possible. Still, it should not be put right near, unless the 
right kind of soil can be found there. 

Ground Must Be Well Drained. 

Select Site With Natural Drainage. — The ground where 
the orchard is to be set must be well drained. It is a well 
known fact that peach trees cannot stand "wet feet," and 
apple trees and all other kinds of fruit trees are not much 
different in this respect. Therefore, after picking out a 
piece of ground that is rich enough, we must consider 



The Site or Location of the Orchard 11 

whether or not it is well drained, and if it is not well 
drained, drainage must be provided if we would succeed 
with the orchard. 

Drainage of Air Is Also Important. — Not only must the 
piece of ground selected be well drained as far as draining 
of water is concerned, but the air-drainage must be good. 
It is a well known fact that cold air is heavier than warm 
air, and therefore the cold air settles to the lowest places. 
This is why one very often sees early spring frost in the 
branch bottoms and other low places while no frost appears 
up on the edge or top of the hill. 

When to Plant on Level Ground.— Of course, in any 
section where the land is all level and there are no high 
places, then, of necessity one must plant the fruit trees on 
level ground. When this is the case the proper thing to 
do is to carefully select the best location with reference to 
soil drainage and air drainage ; because it is an inexorable 
law that cold air is heavier than warm air and must settle 
to the lowest places. Therefore, on cold nights the cold air 
will invariably be found in the lower spots and the warmer 
air on the higher places. If these points are kept in mind 
in selecting the location for the home orchard, there is little 
doubt but that the average person can select the best place 
on the farm for the orchard. 

The planting of trees in such low places may very well 
mean the difference between a crop of fruit and no fruit 
at all. Therefore, it is highly important that in selecting the 
site or location, one should give serious consideration to 
this phase of the matter. We should not put the fruit trees 
down in a low place, even though that low place may be 
fairly well drained as far as the draining off of the water 
is concerned. It may be accepted as a fact that the lowest 
places are not well drained as far as air drainage is con- 
cerned, and the setting of an orchard in such a place is 
inviting the loss of a number of crops of fruit that would 
not be lost if the trees were planted on a hill. 



12 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

Plant Trees on High Ground. — From this discussion it 
can very well be seen that seldom if ever should one plant 
fruit trees anywhere other than on a high spot of ground, 
provided one is not in a section that is all level. Usually 
the house and barn are on the highest spots, and this will 
naturally throw the orchard right near the house. How- 
ever, in many instances the house and barns are on low spots 
on the farm, and in such cases by all means put the orchard 
a good distance away from the house if this is necessary in 
order to get it on a high spot. 

Select Soil That Roots Can Penetrate Easily. — While 
the fertility of the soil and the drainage, with reference to 
both water and air, are very important points, it is also 
important to consider the type of soil. On many pieces of 
ground we find the hard pan so very hard as to make it 
almost impossible for the young fruit trees to force their 
roots through it. Then, in other places we find solid rock 
within a foot or two of the surface of the ground. Of 
course, fruit trees shotild not be planted in such places as 
these, because the roots must go quite deep into the soil if 
the trees are to grow and flourish for years to come. There- 
fore, one should satisfy himself at least that the place where 
the orchard is to be planted is not underlaid with solid rock 
as near as two or three feet of the surface of the soil. 

Clay Subsoil Desirable. 

Best Soil For Fruit Trees. — A soil with a clay subsoil 
is very desirable, but this should be at least a foot or more 
below the surface of the ground, if possible. Very loose 
soil, either sandy or gravelly, is not so desirable as the more 
or less compact soil with a clay subsoil. By this we do not 
mean that a hard soil is desirable, nor do we mean to say 
that a sandy soil or gravelly soil will not do fairly well ; but 
we do mean that a soil which is compact and which has a 
clay subsoil is usually the most satisfactory. The subsoil 
should not be too hard, but open and porous enough to 
allow water to soak through and to allow the roots to pene- 



The Site or Location of the Orchard 13 

trate the soil without any undue effort. One who has had 
experience in farming will be able to pick out the kind of 
soil that will be best by following these suggestions. 

Location of Utmost Importance. — We emphasize the 
absolute necessity of carefully considering the location of the 
orchard, because one little mistake with reference to this 
matter will often mean the difference between a good home 
orchard and one that is no good at all. We have known 
many folks to set their home orchards in low places 
and the result would be magnifi'cent trees — large, beautiful 
and handsome, but with a small amount of fruit, if any. 
Therefore, we repeat, put the home orchard on a high piece 
of ground, preferably near the house, but if it can't be had 
near the house, then some distance away. 



CHAPTER III. 



WHEN, WHERE AND HOW TO BUY FRUIT TREES. 

Buy Trees From Reliable Nurseries Only. — The buying 
of fruit trees is of the utmost importance, and we would 
especially emphasize the point that it is undesirable to buy 
from any except nurseries known to be reliable. There are 
some who are rather careless in their methods of business. 
Ninety-eight per cent are honest, but watch out for that 
remaining two per cent. 

There is an organization known as The American As- 
sociation of Nurserymen which guarantees a square deal 
to every person purchasing fruit trees from any member of 
that association. Therefore, the safe thing to do is to buy 
only from some member of this association, or from some 
nurseryman whose reputation is personally known to the 
buyer. Of course, those who know some nurseryman and 
know that he- is absolutely reliable, should have no hesita- 
tion in buying from him, whether or not he may be a mem- 
ber of The American Association of Nurserymen, but those 
who are not personally acquainted with some nurseryman, 
or at least know enough about him to know that his business 
methods are high-class, and that he will give an absolutely 
square deal, had better buy only from some nursery that is 
a member of The American Association of Nurserymen. 
The Southern Nurserymen's Association also has in its 
membership only those nurserymen who are known to be 
reliable. 

Buy Fruit Trees Early. 

Time to Buy Fruit Trees.— Now, as to the time when 
the trees should be bought. In the first place, they should 
be bought early enough in the season so that one may be 
reasonably sure of getting what he wants. Like every other 
commodity, fruit trees are sometimes scarce. Of course, 
we sometimes find a nurseryman overstocked, but that is 
not always the case. So in order to be safe, it is always 



When, Where and How to Buy Fruit Trees 15 

advisable to put in the order early in the season, preferably 
during September or October, with instructions to ship out 
at the most opportune time during late fall or winter. 

The Kind of Trees Is Also Important. — Keep in mind 
that what you want to get is a high-class, well-bred and 
well-grown fruit tree. Buy it on this basis and not on the 
basis of how much cord wood it contains. We believe that 
entirely too many people who are not acquainted with the 
best methods of fruit culture, think that what they should 
do when buying fruit trees is to get the biggest tree possible. 
This is not the case ; this is not the way to buy fruit trees, 
because the larger the tree, the more severe the shock when 
it is dug from the nursery row and transplanted to the 
orchard. 

Buy Medium Size and Not Large Trees. 

A small fruit tree that is well-grown, clean, straight and 
free of disease is worth far more than the two or three 
year old fruit tree. Of course, the nurseryman can supply 
you with) what you want, and will try to do so, but what 
you need is the medium size, clean, well-grown fruit tree, 
and as said above, not one that is big enough to produce 
cord wood. 

In the case of the peach tree, the one-year-old tree is 
what should be bought. By one-year-old, we mean a peach 
tree that is either one year old from the bud, or that was 
budded in June and dug up and sold the following winter. 
On the whole, we should say. tell the nurserymen that what 
you want is a medium size, well-grown tree rather than one 
of the older and larger trees that so many people often 
insist on having. 

Buyers Are Protected. — It is required that all of the 
nurseries in the various states be inspected by the State 
Board of Entomology before they can ship trees. This is 
done in order to insure, as far as possible, that fruit trees 
will not be sent out that are infested with insect or fun- 
gous pests. The buyer of fruit trees is protected as much 



16 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

as possible by the State Boards of Entomology, but in order 
to insure even further protection, be careful from whom 
you buy and be sure to buy only from those nurserymen 
in whose word you have confidence. And here again we get 
right back to this matter of buying from members of the 
American Association of Nurserymen, or Southern Nur- 
serymen's Association because the rules of their own 
organization demand that a customer be given what he 
buys and in as nearly perfect condition as possible. 

Buy Only From Nurserymen of Known Reputation. — We 

do not wish to become tiresome on this subject, but we 
cannot close this chapter without again warning those who 
would produce good, high-class fruit in the home orchard, 
to give very serious consideration to this matter of the kind 
of trees that are bought. Do not purchase from these "wild 
cat" agents who agree to set a certain number of fruit trees 
and come back and spray and prune them for five years, for 
so much money. In ninety-nine cases out of one hundred, 
agents who sell in this way are doing a crooked business, 
because reliable, up-to-date nurserymen do not sell fruit 
trees in this way. And, as a rule, the person who sells them 
this way will never be seen by those purchasing the fruit 
trees after the trees are paid for. There are good fruit tree 
agents ; there are honest ones representing honest nursery- 
men, but they have credentials which will show that they 
have authority to represent these high-class nurserymen. 
Don't fool with these "flim-flam" agents who offer some- 
thing that reliable nurserymen do not offer. 



CHAPTER IV 



DESCRIPTION OF SOME LEADING VARIETIES 
OF APPLES AND PEACHES. 

No attempt is made in this chapter to describe any large 
number of apples and peaches. Neither is there an eiTort 
made to go into a very technical description of the varieties, 
but we believe something about the size, flavor, keeping 
qualities, etc., should be helpful. 

The following seven varieties of apples are probably 
those most commonly planted in the South : Early Harvest, 
Red June, Horse, Stayman W'inesap, Mammoth Black Twig. 
Winesap and Yates. We shall therefore give brief descrip- 
tions of these seven varieties. 

The Early Harvest is one of the old stand-bys for early 
apples. It is yellow and medium large. The flavor is most 
excellent, there being just enough acid in it to make it 
desirable from this standpoint. It bears as nearly every 
season, year in and year out, as almost any apple we know. 

The Red June is one of the best known early apples 
throughout the South and, as its name indicates, usually 
ripens in June, although in the upper portions of the South, 
it may not ripen until July. It is not a round apple, but is- 
more nearly oblong, and medium size. The quality is 
thoroughly good, and on account of its earliness and other 
good qualities, should be planted extensively in the South 

The Horse Apple is one of the best known summer 
apples in many sections of the South. It is a large apple 
somewhat of a greenish yellow color and is very acid. It 
usually ripens from very late June through July and into 
August, and is a most excellent bearer and a good keeper. 

The Stayman Winesap was developed from a seedling 
of the Winesap variety. The frnit is of excellent quality, 
and small or medium in size. It is red in color and is said 
to do better on poor soil and to produce a stronger tree than 
the parent — ^the Winesap. Like the Winesap, it is one of 
the very best apples. 



18 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 




APPLE PICKING SCENE 



Some Leading Varieties of Apples and Peaches 19 

The Mammoth Black Tzvig is one of the largest varieties 
of apples grown in the South. The skin is a very deep red 
but; the flesh is slightly yellowish. It is a very productive 
variety, an excellent keeper, and therefore a good commer- 
cial variety, as well as a good one for home use. 

The Winesap is indeed one of the very best late varieties 
of apples for the South. It is medium in size, red in color, 
and a most excellent keeper. In quality, it is doubtful if 
any apple grown in the South exceeds it, and it is by all 
odds, one of the very best for the South. 

The Yates is a small apple, but one of the surest and 
one of the heaviest bearers that we have. It is a red apple 
with little whitish dots all over it, and the flesh is yellow. 
It is an excellent keeping variety and the quality is good. 
Although this is a very small apple, it is one of the most 
dependable varieties that we have. 

Description of Some of the Leading Varieties 
OF Peaches. 

The Mayflozver is one of the best of the early peaches. 
The quality, however, is comparatively poor, as none of 
these very early varieties possess any real quality. This 
variety, however, colors up to a very red color and looks 
good. It is a good shipper and on account of ripening early, 
is a very desirable variety either for the home orchard or 
for those who are shipping to the local or distant markets. 
Although it is one of the earliest varieties we have, it is a 
late bloomer and therefore often produces a crop of fruit 
when some of the other varieties get killed. The merits of 
this variety are its earliness and hardiness. 

The Carman is a large peach, ships well, and the flavor 
is good. On account of the tough skin it is considered one 
of the leading shipping varieties. The skin might be 
described as a creamy, whitish color. It is one of the 
earliest standard varieties, and in the central part of the 
South usually ripens right around June 15. 



20 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

The Early Belle or Hiley is one of the leading com- 
mercial varieties of the South. It colors up quite well, is 
large and a creamy white. It is not only a good variety 
for shipping purposes, hut it is an excellent variety for the 
home orchard. It ripens soon after the Carman. 

The Belle of Georgia is one of the leading commercial 
varieties also, and is planted quite extensively. It is a very 
large peach, most attractive in appearance, possesses an 
excellent flavor, and in quality is second to no peach grown. 
It is a heavy bearer and might be considered one of the 
very best of the two or three leading varieties of peaches 
for the South, whether grown commercially or for the home 
orchard. It ripens just after the Hiley. 

The Elberfa is probably the king of all peaches. The 
quality is not altogether so good as some of the others, but 
on account of the large size, excellent keeping qualities and 
excellent shipping qualities, it is certainly one of the leading 
— ^if not the leading commercial variety. The flesh is yel- 
lowish in appearance and the skin is more or less yellow, 
with some red spread over it. It is an excellent variety for 
canning and for eating, even though the quality is not quite 
equal to the Hiley or Belle of Georgia. No home orchard 
is complete without some of these. They ripen in the mid- 
dle part of the South right around July 15th and follow 
rather closely the Belle of Georgia. 

A variety that ripens just a few days after the Elberta, 
and a comparatively new variety, is the J. H. Hale. It is 
a very large peach, larger than the Elberta. and many say 
that it possesses better quality and better flavor than the 
Elberta. The flesh is yellow. It ships well and is, all things 
considered, one of our leading varieties, even though it has 
not been known for many years and is not so well estab- 
lished as the Elberta, the Hiley, and the Belle of Georgia. 

A variety that follows the Elberta rather closely in ripen- 
ing is the Chinese Kling. This is a very large variety that 
is slightly yellow in color with red at the tips. It is a cling- 
stone variety, it is quite juicy, and one of the best of the 
late varieties. 



CHAPTER V. 



TREATMENT OF TREES WHEN RECEIVED 
FROM NURSERY. 

Set Trees Immediately After Arrival. — It is of the 

utmost importance that fruit trees be given the proper at- 
tention immediately after they are received from the 
nursery. Of course, the proper thing to do is to set them 
at once, but very often this cannot be done. The ground 
may be too wet ; it may not be ready, or there are a number 
of other things which may make it ahiiost impossible for 
one to set the fruit trees immediately after receiving them, 
and the purpose of this chapter is to outline briefly just 
what may be done in a case of this kind in order to prevent" 
damage to the young trees. 

In the first place, as soon as notice is received from the 
express ofihce that the trees have arrived, go get them. 
Don't let them remain there for several days. Of course, 
when they are well packed they will keep several days in 
the package, but that is not the way to get the best results. 
Get the fruit trees, and immediately unpack them, because 
the roots are bound up tightly in the packing material and 
the sooner they are released from this material the better. 

Moisten Roots \^ hen Trees Arrive. — If for any reason 
the fruit trees have been on the road a good long while and 
the packing material around the roots has dried out and 
the roots are more or less dry, then immediately after un- 
wrapping put them in a puddle of water. It is better to put 
them in puddled water than in clear water, because the fine 
soil particles will cling to the roots and thereby help to hold 
more of the moisture on the roots. They should not be kept 
in this puddled water long, just a few minutes ; just long 
enough for them to become thoroughly moistened. 

The above treatment should be given whether or not 
the trees are to be set immediately, because the roots should 
never be allowed to dry out at any time. If they are not to 
he set immediately, they should be "heeled in," which is 
nothing more nor less than planting the trees in trenches. 



22 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 



How to "Heel In" Fruit Trees. — To properly "heel in" 
fruit trees, dig a trench rather wide and six to ten inches 
deep. Place the roots of the trees in the trench so that the 
trees will be in at an agle of about 30 to 35 degrees. It is 
better to put them in this way than to set them straight up, 
but of course if one wishes to dig a deep enough and wide 
enough trench they may be set up straight. But that is 
not the usual method of "heeling in." 




"HEELING IN" FRUIT TREES 

After the trees are properly placed in the trench, throw 
the dirt in on the roots and pack the soil lightly. It should 
be packed sufficiently to hold the moisture around the roots. 
By "heeling in" the fruit trees in this way, they can be kept 
several weeks during the winter time without material 
damage resulting. It should be kept in mind, however, that, 
other conditions being equal, it is always best to set the 
fruit trees immediately after they are received. 

Proper Method Handling Fruit Trees. 

Don't Expose Roots to Sunshine. — In setting the fruit 
trees, be careful not to allow thd roots to be exposed to the 



Treatment of Trees Received From Nursery 23 

sunshine. We have seen many folks in planting fruit trees 
go ahead and dig the holes and leave the fruit tree roots 
exposed to sunshine and air a half day, or even a day or 
two, before the trees were set. This is inviting disaster ; 
don't do it. Don't put the fruit trees where the roots will 
be exposed to sunshine even for ten minutes before they arc 
to be set. 

A good method is to put the fruit trees in a barrel or 
bucket of water and keep them there until ready to set. Of 
course, they should not be put in water any greater length 
of time before setting than is necessary, and it is better to 
use the puddled water, or dirty water, than it is to use clear 
water, for the reasons mentioned in the first part of this 
chapter. 

Never Let Roots Become Dry. — The point to keep in 
mind is that fruit tree roots should never be allowed to dry 
out. More fruit trees die from this trouble when being set 
than probably all others combined, especially when the 
planting is done by inexperienced persons. It is compara- 
tively easy to get a fruit tree to live if it is properly set and 
the roots have not been allowed to dry out. But if the roots 
have been allowed to dry out, then it is a mighty hard job 
to get any reasonable number of the trees to survive. We 
cannot emphasize this point too strongly that the roots 
should not be allowed to dry out, and keep in mind that 
the nurserymen usually deliver these trees to you with the 
roots in good shape and moist, and it is up to you to see 
that they are not allowed to dry out from the time you 
receive them until they are set. 

Trees are more or less like a fish in that they cannot live 
very long if kept away from moisture. Take a fish out of 
water and it soon dies ; keep the fruit tree roots exposed to 
air and sunshine for a little while and they will die also. 
Therefore, mark it down that you must keep the roots moist 
and not let them dry out if you would succeed in transplant- 
ing fruit trees and have a good percentage of them live. 



CHAPTER VI. 



SETTING FRUIT TREES. 

Lay Off Orchard in Rows. — The first thing to do when 
ready to set fruit trees is to stake ofit' the field, or lay off 
the rows by whatever method seems best. It is highly 
important to have the fruit trees in straight rows, and they 
should be straight in every direction. In other words, they 
should check row. Of course, fruit trees in straight rows 
will not produce any more fruit than will trees set in 
crooked rows, but an orchard where the fruit trees are all 
in straight rows looks so very much better, that it is worth 
while to put them in straight rows. 

Of course, where one is planting a home orchard and 
difl^ejent kinds of fruit are planted in the same field, and 
naturally some farther apart than others, it is impossible to 
check row them and have them in straight rows in every 
direction. But one can put them in straight rows in one 
direction, and this should be done. 

Of course, peach trees will be one distance, apple trees 
another, and so on down the line. This would make it 
impossible, as said above, to get them in straight rows in 
all directions, but where one is planting, say half an acre or 
more of one fruit, then the trees can be put in straight rows 
so they will check row and be straight in every direction 
that one may look. 

Put Trees in Straight Rows. — We wish to urge that those 
planting the home orchard give some attention to this matter, 
because fruit trees in a crooked row do not look half so 
well as when in a straight row. It is all a matter of looks, 
but then it is worth while and it costs but little effort to get 
them in straight rows. 

We shall not attempt to give arry of the methods of 
setting the fruit trees in straight rows, except to mention 
the stake methods which is so comnrordy used. This is 
nothing more aor less than starting' on one side of the field 
with a high stake w^here the first fruit tree is to be planted. 



Setting Fruit Trees 



25 



Then put two or three other high stakes down the row and 
in hne, so as to get them exactly in a straight row, and 
then set small stakes where each frnit tree is to go. Still 
others who are good at laying off straight rows with the 
plow can place them in tlTis way and get them in almost 
exactly a straight line. \ 




The above illustrates a good method of setting fruit trees. Also note 
that the tree at the right is the same tree as the one at the left, the only 
difference being that it has been set and pro|)erly headed back. 



Digging tiie Holes. 

Method of Digging Holes. — It is false economy to dig 
holes that will not allow the roots plenty of space. Dig the 
hole wide in order that the longest roots may be spread out 
in their natural position, and then not reach the edge of the 
hole. Also dig deep enough so that three or four inches 
of loose soil or well rotted manure may be put in the bottom 
of the hole for the roots to rest on. This is far better than 
putting the fruit tree roots down ni the bottom of the hole 
resting on hard, compact soil. 

Where the subsoil is clay and very hard, dynamiting the 
hole will prove of value. A stick of dynamite put two or 
three feet below the surface of the soil right where the tree 



26 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

is to be planted and exploded, will serve to crack up the 
subsoil and enable the young tree to grow off to better 
advantage. 

But whatever method one adopts to dig the holes, be 
sure they are dug deep enough and wide enough to permit 
the setting of the roots in their natural position. They 
cannot and must not be put in the hole in a wad if one would 
succeed in having a majority of the trees live. 

Don't Carry Trees to Orchard Until Ready to Set. — One 

should not carry any of the fruit trees to the orchard until 
the actual time of setting, because if this is done the roots 
will be exposed to the air and sunshine, and as said in a 
previous chapter, .this absolutely must be avoided if one 
would succeed in having most of the trees live. 

Take the whole bunch of trees to the orchard after the 
holes are dug and you are ready to set the trees and put the 
roots in a puddle of water ; then take a few at a time and 
put them along in the holes where they are to be set, and 
if they are liable to be exposed to the air and sunshine for 
a half hour, throw a little dirt on them. This may sound 
like a, lot of trouble, but it is well worth while, because we 
must keep in mind that if the roots are once allowed to 
dry out, it is "goodbye" fruit trees. 

Prune the Roots of Trees. — Before setting the trees, the 
roots should be pruned. Cut off all dead or injured roots. 
Where a root is broken or mashed, it should be cut off. 
Make a smooth cut and a sloping one, instead of cutting 
straight across. Also cut back any of the roots that may be 
unusually long. We often see a fruit tree with an abundant 
root system, but with two or three roots considerably longer 
than the others. Cut these back so as to conform approxi- 
mately to the length of the main root system. All of the 
fibrous roots should be cut off, because they are either dead, 
or soon will be, and cannot do any further good. 



Setting Fruit Trees 27 

Proper Way to Set Fruit Trees. 

Pack Soil Tightly About the Roots. — Now, when ready 
to set the fruit trees, put a shovel or two of soil or well 
rotted manure in the bottom of the hole and tamp, either 
with the foot or a tamper. Put the tree in the hole, letting 
it stand exactly straight up, and do not havfe it leaning to 
one side or the other. Throw in the soil, a few shovelfuls 
at a time, taking care to put in the top soil around the roots 
and not the clay soil that was thrown out from the bottom 
of the hole, and remember it is important to pack it tightly 
around the roots. One can use the feet for packing, but 
the end of a scantling, or other form of tamper, will usually 
be more satisfactory and less trouble to handle. Don't pile 
in a big pile of dirt and then pack good and hard, but put 
in just a few shovelfuls at a time; pack thoroughly and 
then add a few more shovelfuls and keep on in that way 
until the hole is full. 

After all of the roots are covered with soil and the soil 
is thoroughly tamped, then fill in the hole and pack less 
tightly than the soil was packed around the roots. Of 
course, it should be fairly well packed right on up to the 
surface of the ground. 

At the best, the soil is going to settle some, because it 
is almost impossible to pack it as tightly as it was before 
the hole was dug, and therefore, one should pile the soil 
up from two to three or four inches above the surface of 
the ground, leaving the top inch or two of soil loose. If the 
weather is dry it is a good plan to mulch the newly set trees 
with manure, hay, grass, or other similar material. 







V-'-xS^ [ ^ -■■■ ^ „ J. 

Showing the right and the wrong way of setting fruit trees. On the left 
the tree is not set deep enough, and the second one from the left is set too 
deep. The third one from the left shows the bad effects of bunching up the 
roots and setting the tree in too small a hole. At the right the tree is properly 
set as to depth and the way the roots are spread out. 



28 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

Depth to Set Trees. — The fruit trees should be set, as a 
rule, about one and a half to two inches deeper than they 
were in the nursery row. One can tell by looking at them 
how deep they were in the nursery row, and should keep 
this point in mind. 

While setting the tree, watch it every now and then to 
see that it is setting up straight and not leaning to one side 
or the other. 

By following carefully the directions that have been 
given in this chapter as to how to set fruit trees, and 
studying the illustrations, there is no reason why anyone 
should not be able to have the majority of the trees live. 
Some of the things that we have recommended may sound 
unnecessary to some folks, but we assure you that they are 
not unnecessary. It is the attention to all of these little 
points that will mean the difference between having nearly 
all the trees live and a good many of them die. A fruit tree 
is something to last for many years, and one cannot be too 
particular at the time of setting to set properly and get 
them started ofif to the very best possible advantage. 

Distances For Planting Fruit Trees. 

Apples ^ 30 to 40 feet apart' each way 

Cherries 20 

Phims and Peaches 16 to 20 

Dwarf Pears 10 to 12 

Dwarf Apples 10 to 12 

Grapes 8 to 10 

Raspberries, Blackberries and Dewberries 3 to 4 ft. by 5 to 7 ft. apart 

Strawberries, for field culture.... 1^ to 314 feet by 3 to 4 feet apart 
Strawberries, for garden culture. 1 to 2 feet apart 

Number of Trees on an Acre. 

30 feet apart each way 50 10 feet apart each way 435 

25 feet apart each way 70 8 feet apart each way 680 

20 feet apart' each way 110 6 feet apart each way 1,210 

18 feet apart each way 135 5 feet apart each way 1,745 

IS feet apart each way 205 4 feet apart each way 2,725 

12 feet apart each way 300 3 feet apart each way 4,840 

Rule. — Multiply the distance in feet between the rows by the distance 
the plants are apart in the rows, and the product will be the number of square 
feet for each plant or hill; which, divided into the number of feet in an acre 
(43,566), will give the number of plants or trees to the acre. 



CHAPTER VII. 



HEADING BACK FRUIT TREES AT TIME 
OF SETTING. 

How to "Head Back" Fruit Trees. — Too often people 
set fruit trees and allow them to grow in the natural form. 
This is not the best thing to do. A fruit tree should have 
what is known as an "open center," with the branches 
spreading out. If the trees are not headed back at the time 
of setting, or soon thereafter, they will grow in the natural 
shape — that is to say, upright, with the main stems in the 
center — and will grow entirely too tall. Keep in mind that 
what is wanted is the "opeii center" with no main stem, but 
with three to five main branches coming out from several 
sides of the tree. 

Don't let anyone try to make you believe that you will 
injure your fruit trees by cutting out the top at the time of 
setting. We know some people have this idea, and that they 
think the proper thing to do is let a fruit tree grow in its 
natural shape. This is not the case, because if it is not 
headed back it will run up and become a slender, tall- 
growing tree that will produce far less fruit than would be 
produced if it were headed back and pruned. 

Cut Out Top of Tree Immediately After Setting. — 

Therefore, cut out the top immediately after planting. The 
height above the ground at which to make this cut depends 
on the kind of fruit, size of tree, etc. 

As a general rule, however, peach trees should be headed 
back to within 14 to 20 inches of the surface of the ground. 
Some head them back as high as 24 inches, but we think 
from 14 to 20 inches is about right. 

With apples, the cuts should be made slightly higher 
from the ground, and the proper height is from 20 to 24 or 
28 inches. Some head the apple trees back as much as 32 
inches above the surface of the ground, but an average of 
20 to 24 inches is about right. 



30 



How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 



"Heading back" is nothing more nor less than cutting 
out the top. This cut should be a slanting cut and not 
square across. Make the cut just as smoothly as possible 
and not more than a quarter of an inch above a good live 
bud. 

Nurserymen Will "Head Back" Trees. — Those who do 
not clearly understand just how to head back the peach, 
apple and other fruit trees can have a sample of this work 
done by the nurseryman from whom the trees are bought. 
Nurserymen will usually head back one tree of each kind 
as a guide for those customers who request that this be 
done. Anyone buying fruit trees and not being certain as 
to how to do the work, will probably find it advisable to 
request the nurseryman to do this before shipping the trees. 

There is very little real work attached to this "heading 
back" process, but the important point is "knowing how to 
do it." We believe by carefully studying our discussion on 
this subject and the illustrations showing how to head back 
fruit trees, and having the nurseryman head back one before 
shipping, anyone can do the work. 






Tlie two illustrations to the left show "the before and after" of pruning 
a newly set two year old apple tree. The two at the right show a newly set 
one year old peach tree, before and after pruning. These two illustrations 
show exactly how to prune both large and small fruit trees immediately after 
setting. A small apple tree should be pruned just like the peach tree shown 
above. 



Heading Back Fruit Trees 



31 



Pruning Newly Set Fruit Trees. 

How to Prune Peach Trees. — In the case of the peach, 
especially when a one-year old is being planted-— and this is 
as old a peach as should be planted as a rule — all of the side 
branches should be trimmed off and everything that will be 
left after it is headed back and the side branches trimmed 




before and after pruning 

'I'he two illustrations at the left are newly set fruit trees (comparatively 
large) before and after pruning. The two at the right represent the same 
tree after one year's growth has taken place and the pruning has been done. 



oft' is just a little whip from 14 to 20 inchces long. Now, 
don't become alarmed and think you have ruined your peach 
trees if you do this, because you haven't. Of course, if you 
should happen to be setting a two-year old peach tree, or 
one that is especially large and has well formed branches. 



32 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

then cut out the top just as outhned above, and select three 
to five branches that are to remain, and head them back to 
within, say, four to six inches of the main trunk of the 
tree. 

How to Prune Apple Trees. ^ — When setting apples, where 
the two-year old tree is often used, it may be desirable to 
leave the branches rather than to trim them all off and 
depend on selecting the main branches from the next year's 
growth. In case these are not all trimmed off, select (as 
in the case of the peach) three to five of the best located 
branches for the main body of the tree. These should be 
headed back, say, within five to six or seven inches of the 
trunk of the tree. Of course, when heading back the 
branches, take the same precaution of cutting just above 
the bud and with a slanting, smooth slope as when cutting 
out the top. 

Select Main Branches With Care. 

In selecting these three to five branches for the main 
body of the tree, be careful to have them properly dis- 
tributed around the trunk of the tree and not directly 
opposite each other. Say if one branch on one side is just 
12 inches above the surface of the ground, let the next one 
opposite be either 10 or 14 inches, etc. If these branches are 
directly opposite each other, or all coming from the trunk 
of the tree near the same place, the tree will be more liable 
to split than if they were scattered up and down the trunk 
within a space of 6, 8 or 10 inches. This is a point that 
should be given careful attention, because it may very well 
mean the difference between a tree that will withstand 
heavy winds and heavy crops and one that will be ruined 
by them. 

Tree Takes Permanent Shape During First Year. — Too 

much attention cannot be given to : first, the proper heading 
back, and second, the placing of the branches around the 



Heading Back Fruit Trees 33 

trunk of the tree ; because it is the first year that a tree 
takes on more or less of its permanent shape. It can be 
pruned so as to conform to ahiiost any desired shape during 
the first or second year, but if not started in the right form 
immediately after planting, then, neglect at this time cannot 
be made up for completely in the future. The pruning of 
the fruit trees after the year in which they are set out will 
be discussed in the following chapter. \ 



CHAPTER VIII. 



CULTIVATING THE ORCHARD. 

Thorough and Frequent Cultivation Necessary. — 

Whether the orchard is a large or small one, it may just as 
well be accepted as a fact that to succeed with it, cultiva- 
tion, and very frequent cultivation at that, must be resorted 
to. There seems to be a common opinion among many 
folks that because apples, peaches, plums, pears, etc., grow 
in the form of trees, they do not need cultivation. This is 
a mistaken idea and one that will invariably result in poor, 
inferior fruit, if adopted. Trees are just as truly plants 
as are cotton, corn, tobacco, etc., and while they grow over 
a longer period of time, cultivation is just as necessary in 
order for them to succeed to the maximum extent as it is 
for the annual plants, like those mentioned above. There- 
fore, let all who have fruit trees — though the number may 
be small — make up their minds once and for all that 
thorough and frequent cultivation must be given if good 
results are to be secured. 

Cultivated Crops May Be Planted Between the Rows 
of Trees. — When the orchard is young, that is, during the 
first few years after the trees are set out, it is entirely 
feasible and practicable to plant some cultivated crops in 
between the rows of trees. In doing this, however, one 
should be careful not to plant the crops too close to the 
trees. Never plant a cultivated crop, or any other crop, 
close enough to the trees, so that when cultivating the 
single-tree will come close enough to knock off the bark. 
The trees should not be touched by the single-tree or bent 
about. Put the nearest row of cultivated crops sufficiently 
far away from the trees to make certain that no single-tree 
will come into contact with them. 

Crops to Plant in Orchard. 

Leguminous Crops Desirable. — There are certain crops 
that should never be planted in an orchard, no matter how 



Cultivating the Orchard 35 

young the trees may be, and among these are some of the 
rapid growing plants Hke corn. Neither should small grain 
be sown in the orchard, unless the grain is to be chopped 
to pieces and turned under before it starts to run up early 
in the spring. 

Keep Oats Out of Orchard. — Oats is one of the most 
unsatisfactory crops that can be planted in an orchard, 
unless the crop is cut to pieces and disked under just about 
the time it begins to stool out. Sorghum cane is another 
crop that should, under no conditions, be planted in an 
orchard. It draws very heavily on, the land, especially the 
moisture, and grows high, like corn, afid shades the fruit 
trees and will do them untold harm. Therefore, do not 
plant any such crops in the orchard, but use the low-growing 
crops that draw as lightly on the soil fertility as possible, 
such as cow peas, soy beans, Irish potatoes, snap beans, 
various truck crops, etc. 

Plant Crops That Require Frequent Cultivation. — -In 

selecting the crop that is to be grown between the young 
fruit trees, be sure to select one that will require consid- 
erable cultivation and heavy fertilization. This should be 
done because of the fact that it will bring about ideal con- 
ditions for the fruit trees. By using a large amount of 
Commercial fertilizer and by giving frequent cultivation to 
the crop that is growing in between the trees, there will be 
sufficient plant food to cause the trees to grow rapidly and 
cultivation will be frequent enough to serve this purpose. 
It is entirely possible to grow between the fruit trees, for 
the first two years, a sufficient amount of various kinds of 
crops to more than pay the cost of the cultivation and the 
care of the orchard, but the general principle should be kept 
in mind that no crop that is tall-growing, a rank feeder, and 
that uses a large amount of water, should be planted ; and 
as said above, oats, corn, wheat, sorghum cane and such 
crops as these come under this head. 



36 



How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 




1 




s 




feif'J 


il_— ^ 



Cultivating the Orchard ^7 

Many Prefer Not to Plant Any Crop in Orchard. 

Cultivate As You Would Field Crops.— ^A great many 
prefer not to plant any cultivated crop in the orchard even 
while it is young, but to give the entire ground to the grovi^th 
of the young trees. There is no doubt but that this is the 
best way to secure the maximum results in the shortest time 
with the fruit trees, but when this method is adopted, make 
up your mind right now to treat these fruit trees as though 
they were any other annual growing crop. Commence the 
cultivation early in the spring, and continue until well beyond 
mid-summer. The cultivation should be comparatively 
shallow because the feed roots of the trees grow near the 
surface of the ground in order to get as much plant food 
as possible, and deep cultivation will invariably do consid- 
erable harm by breaking off these roots. 

Cultivate to Prevent Crust Forming on Surface. — It 

should be kept in mind that most of the available plant food 
is up near the surface of the ground, and the feed-roots 
will naturally find their way to this place. Thus, it can be 
clearly seen why it is important that the cultivation be 
shallow. Of course, when the first cultivation is given in 
early spring, it may be a little bit deeper than it is a little 
later on. The usual method followed is to plow broadcast 
early in the spring with a shallow turning plow. The culti- 
vation following this should be frequent and shallow, using 
the most convenient kind of harrow or cultivator that may 
be available. The results desired are to keep down the 
weeds and grass and prevent a crust from forming on the 
surface of the ground. 

When and How to Cultivate. 

Shallow Cultivation Brings Best Results. — Cultivation 
during the spring and summer should be frequent enough to 
keep the soil in good condition. A good general rule is to 
cultivate the orchard in the same general way that you 
would some truck crop. Usually, this should be given once 



38 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

every week to ten days, and sometimes more often. It is 
only by giving the very best of attention in the way of cul- 
tivation that the desired results can be secured, and those 
who persist in feeling that a fruit tree is a tree that can 
"knock" for itself and does not need cultivation, may just as 
well make up their minds that they are not going to succeed 
with the home orchard. Of course, it is possible to grow 
fruit without cultivating the trees, but it is not possible to 
grow either the maximum quantity, or the best quality, or 
the most profitable crops of fruit, unless frequent and 
shallow cultivation is given. 

As said above, it does not amount to so much as to what 
implement is used in giving this cultivation, just so long as 
the desired results are obtained, namely, the keeping down 
of the weeds and grass and preventing the formation of a 
crust on the surface of the soil. 



CHAPTER IX. 



FERTILIZING FRUIT TREES. 

Use Commercial Fertilizer. — In ninety-nine cases out of 
a hundred it will be found profitable to give an annual ap- 
plication of commercial fertilizer to fruit trees and an 
occasional application of stable manure, say once every 
three to five years. If the ground on which the fruit trees 
are growing is already quite rich, then an application of 
stable manure will not be needed so often, but if it is poor, 
or medium poor, an application of manure every year, or 
until the trees are well started, will be profitable. In apply- 
ing this, it will be desirable to scatter it broadcast and build 
up the fertility of the land, not only immediately around the 
trees, but of the whole surface. 

Use Stable Manure Also. — -In addition to building up 
the soil by application of stable manure, one can use to 
advantage the scrapings from the fence corners about the 
lot, yard, etc. Just scrape up and scatter broadcast in the 
orchard any time during the winter, and plow under at the 
first plowing in the spring. On the average farm where 
only a small orchard of a few acres is to be fertilized this 
way, there will be plenty of scrapings from about the house, 
wood shed, barn, etc., to keep the orchard in good condition. 

Manuring the Orchard. 

Grow Leguminous Crops in Orchard. — -In addition to 
applying stable manure, scrapings, etc., to the orchard, the 
general fertility of the soil can be added to, and should; be 
added to, by growing both summer and winter legumes in 
the orchard. By cultivating the orchard until mid-summer, 
say until late June or early July, and then planting cow- 
peas or soy beans, much fertility will be added to the soil 
by these crops. After they are harvested in the fall, sow 
down to some kind of clover, either crimson (or in some 
sections red clover), and let these grow during the winter. 



40 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

Then turn under in early spring. By practicing this method 
a few years, the general fertility of the soil will be very 
greatly enhanced, especially in nitrogen, which is the most 
costly form of fertilizer. 

Small Grain Crops Prevent Leaching of Plant Food. — It 

is very desirable to have something growing in the orchard 
during the winter, and in case you are among those who 
think you cannot grow any of the clovers, then go ahead 
and plant some of the fall grain crops, such as wheat, oats, 
or rye in the early fall, taking special pains to see that these 
are thoroughly chopped to pieces early in the spring by a 
disk harrow, and turned under. While the small grain crops 
will not add so much fertility to the soil as clovers, yet they 
will make use of considerable plant food that will otherwise 
be leached out during the winter, and will store it up for 
future use of the fruit trees. 

Kinds of Commercial Fertilizer to Use. 

Mucli Nitrogen Needed. — If the orchard has been liber- 
ally fertilized with stable manure, etc., as outlined above, 
then a commercial fertilizer with a comparatively small 
amount of nitrogen and with a comparatively large amount 
of phosphoric acid and potash should be used. In a case 
of this kind, we should say that a fertilizer analyzing 
around 10-1-4 would be about right. However, if the ground 
is not rich in . nitrogen, then considerably more nitrogen 
should be had in the commercial fertilizer, and one analyz- 
ing around 10-4-4, or 10-3-4, would be about right. 

Top Dress in Spring. — In addition to giving a liberal 
application of the complete fertilizer early in the spring, an 
application of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia given 
in late spring, just as growth is becoming rapid, will prove 
highly desirable and profitable as a rule. 

Time to Apply Fertilizer. — The proper time to apply the 
complete commercial fertilizer is very early in the spring- 
when the first cultivation is given. This should be usuallv 



Fertilizing Fruit Trees 41 

about the time the buds begin to swell in the spring. Use 
this commercial fertilizer by scattering it broadcast around 
the tree and cultivating" it in. Don't try to scatter it over 
the whole ground, but merely in a circle about the tree, 
commencing from two to six or eight feet from the base of 
the trunk of the tree, depending on size o| tree, and scat- 
tering it outward to a distance of several feet beyond the 
spread of the branches. 

Where to Apply Fertilizer. — Keep in mind that the feed 
roots of the fruit trees are not right near the base of the 
trunk of the tree, and it is only wasting the fertilizer to put 
it there. Scatter it in this circle, going out several feet 
beyond the spread of the branches ; cultivate it in and you 
will have it where it will do the most good. Of course, the 
larger the tree, the greater the distance beyond the spread of 
the branches the fertilizer should be applied. 

Amount of Fertilizer to Use. 

Fertilizer Needed Varies With Age of Trees. — Usually 
a pound and a half or two pounds of commercial fertilizer 
will be enough to apply to each tree annually during the 
first two years. It should be gradually increased until five, 
six, or eight to ten pounds to the tree are given the older and 
larger trees. In addition to this, nitrate of soda or sulphate 
of ammonia given later in the spring should be applied at, 
say, about one- fourth or one-fifth the rate of the amount 
of the complete commercial fertilizer. The fertilizer given 
to the young fruit trees before they reach the bearing age 
should contain a heavy proportion of nitrogen and a limited 
amount of phosphoric acid and potash. Then as the fruit 
trees commence bearing, as a rule it will pay well to de- 
crease the proportion of nitrogen and increase the proportion 
of phosphoric acid and potash. 

Change Proportion As Trees Mature. — Roughly speak- 
ing, while the trees are young and before they reach the 
bearing age, the fertilizer containing, say only .5 or 6 per 



42 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

cent of phosphoric acid and 1 or 2 per cent of potash, and 
6 or 7 per cent of nitrogen should be used, because it is at 
this time that the principal thing desired is growth in the 
trees ; and because of the fact that nitrogen is the part of 
the fertilizer that produces the growth, this substance should 
naturally predominate. Also, when the tree reaches the 
bearing age, it is equally important to reduce the amount of 
nitrogen in order to prevent too rapid growth and to in- 
crease the amount of phosphoric acid and potash, in order 
to produce the proper amount of fruit, give it the right 
color, etc. 

Anyone who will give a little careful study to the sub- 
ject can fertilize fruit trees in such manner as to greatly 
enhance the value of the home orchard. 



CHAPTER X. 



PECAN GROWING IN THE SOUTH. 

Never Plant Seedling Pecans — The one thing that 
should be remembered about pecan growing above all others 
is, that the seedling trees should not be planted, but the 
budded or grafted varieties should always be used. The 
seedlings will almost invariably produce small, inferior 
nuts. And then, too, the seedling tree does not usually 
bear until it is from twelve to fifteen, or in many instances 
twenty years of age; whereas, the grafted or budded varie- 
ties will, under good conditions, bear from three to five 
years after the trees are set out. Therefore, we wish to 
emphasize this point above all others. Don't let anyone 
tell you that the thing to do is to plant seedling pecans, 
because that is absolutely wrong. 

Pecans Should Have Well Drained Soil. — Pecans will 
succeed in the South almost anywhere that cotton will grow 
well. It is true that the very best results are secured on 
the Coastal Plains ; yet, it is equally true that excellent re- 
sults have been secured from these budded or grafted 
varieties of pecans in almost all sections of the cotton belt. 
The pecan loves a moist soil, and yet it absolutely demands 
a soil that is fairly well drained. There are some varieties, 
of course, that will grow fairly well in bottom land that is 
overflowed, but if it is land that is water sogged at all times, 
then, it is very seldom that the pecan will succeed in a 
big way. 

Few Trees Will Supply the Home Need. — We believe 
that every person in the cotton belt, especially those in the 
lower section, should plant a few pecan trees in connection 
with the home orchard. As a rule, these should be set from 
50 to 60 feet apart, and it will take only a comparatively 
small number of trees to produce all that a family will need 
and to supply the local market in a limited way. If the 
trees are set 50 feet apart with the first and the last row 
onlv 15 feet from the edge of the field, then, onlv 80 trees 



44 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

would be required to set five acres. The further fact that 
the pecan trees will not take up all of the ground for several 
years, makes it all the more important that at least an acre 
or two be planted on every southern farm ; at least those 
in two-thirds of the lower cotton belt. 

Plant Cultivated Crops Between Pecan Trees. — Pecan 

trees should never be planted closer than 50 feet apart, 
according to our way of looking at it. Of course, there is 
no need to let them utilize all the ground while young, but 
one can go ahead and plant any of the cultivated crops in 
between the trees, or figs, plums, grapes, peaches, etc., can 
be planted in between the pecans. Our preference, however, 
is that some of the cultivated crops, like cotton, cabbage, 
beans, soy beans, etc., be planted in between the pecan 
trees ; because in this way fairly clean cultivation will be 
given and a reasonable amount of fertilization will also be 
given. When planting this way, however, one should leave 
a strip of a few feet for each row of pecans in order to 
give them the better show. In other words, let the nearest 
row of the cultivated crop be three or four feet from the 
line of trees. 

How to Transplant the Trees. — The pecan is a little 
more difficult to transplant and make live than many of 
the other fruit trees, and therefore very great precaution 
should be used when ordering fruit trees from a nursery- 
man. The precaution, of course, comes in properly handling 
the trees immediately after they are received. The roots 
must not be allowed to dry out, because it means almost 
sure death for the trees if this is allowed to take place. Of 
course, the drying out of the roots of any fruit tree is very 
bad for them, but it is worse with the pecan than almost any 
other fruit or nut tree. Therefore, very great precaution 
must be taken in transplanting these trees, if one would be 
sure of having the larger percentage of them live after 
being transplanted. 

An ideal soil for the pecan tree is a sandy loam with a 
clay subsoil, and, as said above, while it wants to be a fairly 



Pecan Growing in the South 45 

moist soil, yet it must be one that is well drained. The clay 
subsoil is not absolutely essential, but usually a soil with 
a clay subsoil proves ideal for the pecan tree. 

Varieties of Pecans. 

There are a great number of varieties of the budded or 
grafted pecans, but we believe that for the average home 
orchard the planting may be very well reduced to four or 
five, or six varieties. The king of all pecans is, beyond 
question, the Schley. It is not the largest, but the shell is 
very thin, fills out well( and the quality is tip top. Of all 
the varieties none has a better reputation than the Schley, 
and we think if one wishes to select only one variety to 
plant in the home orchard, then the Schley should, un- 
doubtedly, be the one to select. It is a rather shy bearer, 
and if it were not for this reason it is doubtful if all the 
other varieties put together would be planted as extensively 
as this one. 

We think, therefore, that the Schley, Stuart, Success, 
Frotscher and Van Deman are the leading varieties of 
pecans for average conditions in the South. 

We think our second choice of these varieties would be 
Success. It is a large pecan with a very thin shell, and a 
high-class nut in every respect. It is gaining in favor very 
rapidly with the pecan growers, and we believe the home 
orchardists would not make a mistake to plant at least a 
few of this particular variety. 

The Stuart is another variety that produces a large nut. 
It is one of the most desirable varieties for commercial 
purposes. The nut is very large, and while the shell is not 
as thin as is the shell of the^ Schley, yet it is thin enough 
to crack with comparative ease. 

The Frotscher is said to be the largest of any of the 
real paper shell pecans. It is a variety that always does 
best on comparatively moist ground, and therefore its plant- 
ing should be limited to bottom or semi-bottom land. 



46 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

The Van Deman is one of the old standby varieties. The 
nut is long and the tip end of it comes out to a rather sharp 
point. The shell is easily cracked and the quality of the 
nut is good. 

Trees Require Thorough Cultivation. 

One other point that we wish to emphasize in this mat- 
ter of growing pecans, and that is, to succeed with them, 
cultivation must be given. It is not enough to plant these 
trees and let the field around them grow up in weeds after- 
wards ; because if this is done real success cannot be 
attained. In fact, if you are not going to cultivate your 
trees it will be far better not to set them at all. If you don't 
grow crops in between the rows of pecan trees, cultivate the 
entire ground, and do it just as thoroughly and just as fre- 
quently as though some of the annual growing crops were 
being grown on that ground. 

When to Cultivate, — Cultivate throughout the spring and 
early summer, and then in late July sow cowpeas, or some 
other summer legume for the purpose of increasing the 
fertility of the soil. Of course, if one is growing cotton, 
or some other cultivated crops, in between the pecan tree 
rows, then the ground will be taken up with these, and the 
cowpeas or other summer legumes cannot be planted at the 
time mentioned. If these cultivated crops that take up the 
soil for the entire summer are grown, then, in the early fall 
sow some of the winter legumes, preferably crimson or bur 
clover. 

Thorough Cultivation Brings Satisfactory Results. — Just 
as with any other orchard or annual crop, the returns will 
be determined very largely by the attention given to the 
pecans. When one lets the trees "knock" for themselves, 
then the returns will be little, if anything. If they are given 
careful cultivation, fertilization, etc., then the returns will, 
under average conditions, be highly satisfactory and 
profitable. 



Pecan Growing in the South 47 

Do Well Near Barns. — Certainly everyone should plant 
at least a few pecan trees, and even though one may not 
wish to give up much ground to these, there are places about 
the house or barn where they could be planted to advantage, 
because they do remarkably well when planted close to the 
lot, or the back yard, or other place that is usually compara- 
tively rich and moist. But keep in mind that wherever they 
are planted, thorough cultivation should be given, at least 
until the tree is several years old and more able to "knock" 
for itself, so to speak, than when it is quite young. 



CHAPTER XI. 



FIGS GROW WELL IN COTTON BELT. 

Do Well Where Cotton Grows.— A few fig bushes should 
be in every home orchard, or at some place about the house ; 
because there is no more delicious fruit grown than the fig. 
It is true that in a good many sections of the South the fig 
is killed quite frequently during the winter, but like the cat 
of nine lives, it has the ability to come back and keep on 
coming back. We do not believe we have ever seen a fig 
bush killed down to such an extent that it would not come 
right back from the roots the following year; and even 
though it does get killed every now and then, it is well worth 
while to grow them in almost any section where cotton can 
be grown. It is altogether probable that cotton can be 
grown successfully a little further North than can the fig ; 
yet we have known fig bushes to flourish in those sections 
that were considered well toward the northern part of the 
cotton belt. 

Desirable For Preserving Purposes. — Figs have been 
grown commercially only to a very limited extent in the 
United States, except in California, and this is probably 
because of the fact that in a fresh state the fruit does not 
ship very well. Of course, figs are grown commercially and 
dried in California and other semi-arid sections of the 
United States, but they have never been grown commer- 
cially to any great extent and shipped as fresh fruit. And, 
as said above, this is largely due to the fact that the fruit 
does not ship well. However, it is one of the very best 
fruits for canning and preserving purposes and for eating 
in the fresh state when it can be consumed right where it 
is grown. Of course, the' figs can be marketed locally; that 
is, on the markets close enough by that the fruit can be sold 
the first day it is picked, or at least the following day. 

We unhesitatingly say, therefore, that in practically all 
of the cotton belt everyone should have at least a few fig 



Figs Grow Well in Cotton Belt 49 

bushes about the house. It is a bush that grows very 
rapidly and readily and will often bear the second year 
from setting. 

Where to Plant Figs. — A good place to set fig bushes 
is in the back yard in a more or less protected place. Espe- 
cially in the upper part of the South the fig bushes should 
be planted on the south side of the building, or other place 
that will give them more or less protection. Then, the figs 
especially like a moist place. They do not like a soil that 
is water-sogged, but a rich, moist soil ; and some of the 
very finest fig bushes we have ever seen were those at the 
rear of the house, or in other places where considerable 
water was thrown. The corner of the garden or near the 
lot, or other place that is liable to be quite rich and fairly 
moist, will be found an ideal place for the bushes. 

As said above, the bushes are very easily grown, and 
whik they respond readily to good treatment, such as cul- 
tivation, fertilization, etc., yet if they are given a good rich, 
moist soil it matters little whether or not they are cultivated. 
Taken as a whole, though, they do respond quite readily to 
good treatment. 

\'ar]eties of Figs. • 

Brown Turkey Very Hardy. — Some of the varieties are 
more hardy than others. The Brown Turkey is one of the 
most hardy varieties we have, and is well adapted to growing 
in the upper part of the South, as well as in the lower part. 
The White Adriatic is another good variety, but should not 
be planted in the upper part of the South, on account of it 
being less hardy than some of the other varieties. Mag- 
nolia and Brunswick are two varieties that do well in the 
lower part of the South; that is, in South Texas, South 
Louisiana, South Alabama, South Florida and the very 
lower part of Georgia. They should not be planted very far 
north of Savannah, Georgia, Montgomery, Alabama, and 
Shreveport, Louisiana. 



50 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

Celestial Excellent Variety. — One of the very best va- 
rieties of figs is the Little Celestial. It is the smallest size, 
but very sweet, and possesses a quality very much superior 
to that of any other variety of figs known. It is an excel- 
lent canning and preserving variety as well as the king of 
all figs for eating purposes. It does not produce as big a 
yield as the larger varieties, of course, but it is a very 
prolific variety; and this fact makes up largely for anything 
it lacks in size. 

Varieties for Different Sections. — To sum the whole 
matter up, our recommendation would be that everyone 
living well within the cotton belt should at least plant a few 
fig bushes for home consumption and for supplying the 
nearby local markets. Those living in the middle and 
upper parts of the South should plant, almost exclusively, 
the Brown Turkey and Celestial. In the lower part of the 
South, or in the Gulf Coast region, the above two varieties 
along with the White Adriatic and the Brunswick, should 
be depended upon largely. The Blue Genoa is another va- 
riety that has done quite well in the Gulf Coast section. 

Put in Protected Place. — If the proper varieties, there- 
fore, are planted in these different sections and attention is 
given in the way of putting the figs in a comparatively rich 
place and a semi-protected place, there would be no reason 
why figs cannot be grown successfully in the middle and 
upper parts of the South — at least, almost to the northern 
limit of the cotton growing section in the upper part of the 
South. If the simple directions given in this chapter are 
followed, then there is no reason why an abundance of figs 
for home and local markets cannot be grown in practically 
all sections of the South. 



CHAPTER XII. 



PRUNING FRUIT TREES. 

Properly pruning fruit trees is a matter of very great 
importance, because neither the largest amount of fruit, nor 
the best fruit, can be obtained without it. Of course, a 
large fruit tree can be produced without pruning, but the 
object is to get, not so much a great big tree, but a well 
formed and a well balanced one that will produce an 
abundance of first-class fruit, and in order to do this, 
pruning must be practiced. 

Prune Trees for Wood Production. — In the case of the 
peach, the fruit is borne on wood that grew the preceding 
year, and therefore the peach tree that does not produce a 
liberal supply of new wood cannot produce maximum crops. 
Pruning a tree in the winter time practically throws it into 
wood production. The more severely a tree is pruned 
during the winter the greater the effort put forth by that 
tree the following season to produce new wood. Therefore, 
in order to have enough wood to produce a good, crop of 
peaches each year, annual pruning that is more or less heavy 
must be resorted to. 

Thus we see that pruning must be done, in the case of 
the peach, not only for the purpose of shaping the tree 
right, but in order to produce enough wood to grow a good 
crop. 

Pruning Trees So They Will Not Grow High. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that a peach tree 
should not be high. A properly shaped peach tree should 
be so low and spreading as to enable one to stand on^ the 
ground and pick half to two-thirds of the peaches. You 
cannot lean a ladder against a peach tree to pick the fruit 
like you can the larger-growing and stiffer-limbed apple 
tree. 



52 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

How to Prune Apple Trees. — In the case of the apple 
tree, the priming should not be so heavy, because the fruit 
is not produced on the new wood, that is, on the wood that 
grew the preceding year. However, the branches of the 
apple tree should be headed back when they grow quite 
rapidly. But the principal part of the pruning of the apple 
tree consists of heading back the branches that outgrow the 
average branches, and thinning out the branches and 
pruning so as to keep the tree properly shaped. 

If three to five branches were not selected and left on 
the stump when the tree was headed back immediately after 
setting, this should be done the following winter. It should 
be done before any pruning is resorted to. One should pick 
out the three to five best branches on the tree, keeping in 
mind that they must be properly distributed around the tree 
and not exactly opposite each other, as explained in a 
preceding chapter. 

Selecting the Main Branches. 

Remove Branches From Main Trunk of Tree. — It mat- 
ters not how many branches may start out the first season, 
all should be removed — that is, all that come from the main 
trunk of the tree — except the three to five that are selected 
to form the main trunk system of the tree. Then these 
three to five that are selected should be headed back rather 
severely. In the case of the peach, they should be headed 
back from one-half to two-thirds, depending on the amount 
of growth and other conditions. In the case of the apple, 
the heading back should not be quite so severe, but say 
from one-fourth to one-third, or where very rapid growth 
has taken place, about one-lKUt 

When these main branches are headed back, leave two 
or three side branches for each one of these main branches, 
selecting these in such way as to have them properly dis- 
tributed and not coming too close to the others. One of the 
principles of pruning that should be kept in mind is, never 



Pruning Fruit Trees 53 

let any two branches touch or be close enough to each other 
to seriously interfere with the proper development of either 
one; If this principle is kept in mind, then one can do good 
pruning provided a few of the other principal pruning facts 
are in one's mind. 

Sunlight Is Required to Color the Fruit.— Each year 
when new branches are allowed to develop from the 
branches that were headed back the preceding year, only a 
few should be left. If one allows all the branches to de- 
velop, the result will be an abundance of wood and a tree 
so thick that sunlight cannot enter in and properly color 
the fruit. Therefore, do not be afraid to thin out branches, 
keeping in mind that what is wanted is an open-headed fruit 
tree and one sufficiently thinned so the sunlight can get 
in through the top of the tree at least for a short time each 
day. This is absolutely necessary in order to properly color 
the fruit. Fruit cannot ripen and take on its natural color 
with the total absence of sunshine. 

Common Sense Best Rule For Pruning. 

Branches Should Be Cut Just Above Good Live Bud. 

It is impossible to give all the minute details of properly 
pruning a tree, but we believe that by following the main 
principles outlined in this chapter, one can do good pruning. 
It is as much a matter of common sense as it is of follow- 
ing instsructions that someone else has given. One point 
that should be kept in mind is the fact that where one 
person will prune a tree too severely, there are thousands 
that will not prune enough. In fact, the writer has never yet 
seen an inexperienced person who would prune a fruit tree 
too severely. 

Another point that should be kept in mind in pruning 
is that when any branch is headed back, it should be cut 
off just above a good live bud. Unless this is done, that 
portion of the wood above the last bud will rot and possibly 
cause the decay of that whole branch later on. When 



54 



How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 



making these cuts, they should be made slanting and not 
straight across. This may sound like a small point, but it 
is certainly an important one. 




Fig. 1 





Fig. 2 



Fig. 3 Fig. 4 

RIGHT AND WRONG WAYS OF PRUNING. 



Figure 1 shows how not to cut off a branch. By saw- 
ing a little on under side of branch as shown in Figure 
2, this splitting can easily be avoided. Figure 3 shows 
where a branch should and should not be cut. If cut 
at 3, a stub is left that will probably" result in decaying 
of the tree. The cut at 2 is too far away from the main 
trunk. The proper place to make the cut is shown at 1. 
Figure 4 shows how and where to remove a side branch. 
Cut at the dotted line to which the arrow is .pointing. 
Always cut right close up to the trunk of the tree or the 
branch from which the limb comes. Figure 5 shows 
where a cut has been made too close to a bud so that the bud is injured and 
will seldom produce fruit. In figure 6 the cut was made too far above the 
bud; in figure 7, it was made right. 




Figs. S 



Cut Branches Smoothly to Prevent Rot. — Another point 
that should be kept in mind in pruning is, that when a 
branch is cut off entirely, that is, when it is cut off up next 
to the branch from which it came, or from the main trunk 
of the tree, the cutting should be done right up smoothly 
with the trunk of the tree or the branch from which it 
came. If a stub is left, even though it may be only one- 
half inch or one quarter inch in length, trouble is liable to 
result. This stub cannot get food and dies and rots, and 
when it rots, it rots right on in through the branch, or the 
main trunk of the tree from which it came, and this often 
means "the beginning of the end" of that tree. One has 
often seen hollow trees where the direct cause of it was 
the cutting off of a branch without cutting it smoothly with 
the trunk of the tree, but leaving a stub. It is highly im- 
portant that this point be kept in mind and absolutely lived 
up to, because if it isn't, it will be sure to cause trouble. 



Pruning Fruit Trees 55 

Proper Way of Cutting Large Branches. 

When a branch larger than three-quarters of an inch in 
diameter is cut off, the wounds should be painted with some 
kind of paint. This is desirable because the painting of the 
wound will prevent the rot from getting to work on the 
tissues of the wood. If this painting is not done, rotting 
may start. It is just like covering a wound on your own 
flesh. It is necessary to cover it over in order to give 
the living tissues a chance to heal the wound before a 
fungous disease gets busy on the outside. 

Remove All Diseased Branches. ^The proper time to do 
this pruning, of course, is in the winter, or after all the 
leaves have shed from the trees and they have become 
thoroughly dormant. Pruning should be done every winter. 
The younger the tree, the more pruning required as a rule. 
The peach tree, as said above, will require more pruning 
than the apple tree. Cherry trees do not require very heavy 
pruning. Fig bushes require only thinning out and heading 
back wherever necessary in order to keep them in the desired 
shape. 

When pruning fruit trees during winter, every diseased, 
dying or injured branch should be taken out, because every 
time one of these is left, it increases just that much the 
chances of the whole tree becoming diseased. It is not 
necessary, or even desirable, to wait until winter to remove 
such branches as these. It is a mighty good plan to watch 
the trees carefully, and every month or so remove any dis- 
eased, dead or dying branches that cannot possibly be any 
good to the trees in the future. Remove these at any time 
they are found. 

Remove Large Branches Only When Absolutely 

Necessary. 

It should be kept in mind that the proper way to prune 
a fruit tree is to so prune it that large branches will never 
have to be removed. Of course, if the branches are allowed 



56 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

to become too thick, it is better to remove a large one than 
to allow too many of them to remain. But the point that 
we are trying to make is, that if the proper pruning is done 
from the beginning, it will never be necessary to remove 
large branches. It is always disturbing to a tree more or 
less to remove a great big branch, and this sliDiild not be 
done except where it is absolutely necessary. 

Saw Off Large Branches to Prevent Splitting. ^ — One 

other point with reference to pruning is that when a large 
branch is cut ofif, be sure to cut it in such a way as not to- 
allow it to split off. Saw it off three or four inches from 
the trunk of the tree, making a small cut on the under side 
to prevent splitting, and then afterward saw off the stub 
right up next to the tree. By going at it this way, splitting 
can be avoided. 

As said above, in pruning a fruit tree, one must use 
his own common sense and good judgment as much as any- 
thing else. It is well enough to have in mind the principles 
of pruning as outlined by others, but this is about all that 
can be done. Follow your own common sense in the matter. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



GRADING AND DISPLAYING FRUITS. 

Believing that every farm home where there is a home 
orchard should market the surplus fruits on the local imr- 
ket we are discussing in this chapter m a very elementary 
way some of the best methods of picking, grading, packing 
and displaying fruit so as to bring good prices. 

Proper Marketing Brings Maximuin Prices.— In the 
marketing of fruits there is just as much m properly grad- 
ing, packing and displaying as there is in growing fruits of 
good quality. By this we do not mean that quality should 
be sacrificed, because that is the foundation of the whole 
proposition, and unless there is quality the highest prices 
cannot be obtained. It is equally true that unless fruit is 
properly graded, packed and displayed, the maximum prices 
cannot b? obtained. So this is a two-sided proposition; 
that is, the work is not completed when the fruit is grown 
and the quality is good. It must be properly gathered, 
graded, packed and displayed. It might just as well be 
accepted as a fact that those who refuse to give real con- 
sideration, thought and care to this matter of grading, 
packing, and displaying the fruit, cannot secure maximum 
prices 

Display Fruit in Attractive Form.-In order to secure 
these maximum prices, the fruit must be displayed in at- 
tractive packages. It doesn't matter how good the quality 
is if one puts apples, peaches and other fruits m an old sack 
or in an old tumbled-down box, maximum prices will not 
be received. What one needs to do is to keep on hand a 
sufficient number of various kinds of packages to properly 
market the fruit in an attractive form. 

We have very often known it to happen, where fruit ot 
equal quality was carrried to market, one lot m attractive 
packages and another in a slip-shod manner, that that 
propeHy put up brought two or three times as much as the 
same fruit that was not properly displayed. 



58 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

Supply Local Markets With Fruits. 

Market Fruit in Proper Craest, Baskets, Etc. — We be- 
lieve that every farmer should have a home orchard, suf- 
ficiently large to supply all the home needs, and to supply, 
in a limited way, the home market. We venture to make the 
assertion that there are not many farms from which the 
surplus fruit could not be marketed to advantage and with- 
out in any way diminishing the supply needed at home. 

Therefore, every person who has any of this fruit to 
market in the fresh form, should supply himself with the 
proper crates, baskets, etc., needed for handling and dis- 
playing this fresh produce in the best possible manner. With 
this thought in mind, we present a few illustrations of some 
of the common types of containers used for displaying and 
marketing various kinds of fruits. 

Detailed Description of Several Marketing Con- 
tainers. 

No. 1 is the ordinary grape basket, made for shipping 
grapes. As is shown, this basket is made with a solid board 
bottom and with veneer sides and also a veneer cover. This 
cover is fastened on with little wire hooks. This type of 
basket can be us&d when marketing various kinds of fruits, 
but is especially made for the marketing of grapes, and cer- 
tainly everyone having even a small quantity of grapes to 
market should have on hand a number of these baskets. 

No. 2 is what is known as a display basket. This is a 
basket which everyone who markets any fruits should have 
a supply of, because it is long and shallow and is especially 
adapted to displaying fruits to the best advantage. It is 
suitable for displaying peaches, apples, plums, pears, or in 
fact, anything of this kind that one wishes to show off to 
advantage. As said above, no one marketing fresh fruits 
in a local way should be without a supply of these baskets. 

No 3 is what is known as a repacking basket, and can be 
used for marketing fruits, or can be used for putting fruits 
in crates. This is the size of basket that is ordinarily used 



Grading and Displaying Fruits 



59 



in four and six-basket carriers or crates, and is very well 
adapted for this kind of work. One can very easily display 
a basket of this kind with peaches, apples, plums, pears, 
cherries or anything of the kind. They are comparatively 
inexpensive and can be had in one, two, three, or four- 
quart sizes. 

No 4 is a picking stand or carrier, and everyone growmg 
berries, particularly strawberries, raspberries, dewberries, 
etc should have a supply of these, because the quart berry 
baskets fit into them nicely, and one can carry a considerably 
greater number of baskets of berries this way than can pos- 
sibly be carried by any other method. They can be had 
in different sizes and we believe the two main sizes are 
those that carry four of the quart baskets and those that 
carry six of the quart baskets. The quart berry baskets that 
are used for packing strawberries, dewberries, etc are the 
kind of baskets referred to in this paragraph. Those who 
have tried to handle strawberries, dewberries, raspberries, 
"etc without making use of this carrier, have missed some- 
thing. Certainly a supply of them should be had by all 
berry growers. 

No 5 is what is known as the shipper's bushel basket. 
The cover on top is what is known as the hoop cover and 
is used by a great many growers and shippers of various 
kinds of fruits and produce. The lid is slatted as can be 
seen from the illustration. This is a very popular kind ot 
container for marketing various kinds of heavy fruits and 
vegetables, such as apples, peaches, pears, etc. All of those 
catering to local markets with fruits should certainly have 
on hand a supply of these. 

No 6 is that kind of a stave basket which is mighty 
handy when picking fruit. The bail on the basket swings 
or drops down, thus making it easy to handle. The bail is 
attached to the basket by rivets and washers, which make 
it strong and durable. This basket is quite useful on any 
fruit farm, because it can be used, not only for picking 
fruits, but for a great variety of purposes. 



60 



How TO Succeed W^th the Home Orchard 



No. 7 is that of a four-basket carrier. This carrier is 
useful when one wishes to properly handle or display small 
fruits, such as dewberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc., in 
larger quantities than a single basket. And then, too, this 
carrier makes it more convenient to handle several baskets 
than if they were handled singly. 

No. 8 shows a crate which comes in two sizes, namely, 
16 and 24 quarts. This is the crate that is especially adapted 
to the marketing of strawberries or other small friuts of 
this kind. The baskets containing the fruit are packed right 
in on top of each other and then the cover is nailed on. 
Even though marketing strawberries, dewberries, rasp- 
berries, etc., on a comparatively small scale, one .vill find 
the use of this crate quite desirable. 




Different Types of Fruit Containers 



Many Dollars Can Be Saved By Marketing Fruits. 

There are many dpllars' worth of fruits going to waste 
on practically every Southern farm. It is equally true that 
while this very thing is taking place there are folks in the 
cities that do not consume anything like the quantity they 
should. It is true that this may sometimes be because fruits 



Grading and Displaying Fruits 61 

are not bringing a good price, but we venture to make the 
assertion that if one will supply himself with the contain- 
ers similar to those shown above, and will grow first-class 
fruits, pick, grade, pack and display them properly, satis- 
factory prices will be received. 

When to Pick Peaches. — In picking peaches to sell on 
the local market, one should be properly informed as to 
when such peaches should be picked. It will not do to wait 
until they get soft and then pick them ; because even though 
they may not be carried more than a mile or two and m^ 
be marketed at once, if they are soft when they are picked 
they will invariably be in bad shape before they are mar- 
keted. Therefore, the proper thing to do is pick them just 
before they get soft. Do not pick them until they are well 
colored and just ready to become soft. Anyone who will 
carefully examine the peaches a few times can very well 
tell when a peach is just about ready to become soft. 

In picking the peaches, be careful not to bruise them ; 
also, don't snatch them off as though they were rocks, but 
take hold of the peach and twist it and it will break off in 
such way as not to injure the peach or the branch from 
which it was picked. 

In picking apples, pears, or other fruit of this kind for 
the local market, it is equally important to gather them 
before they become soft. One can, with a little experience, 
tell when the fruit is just about to get soft and pick it two 
to three days before this time. 

Pick Fruit at Proper Time to Get Best Results. — We 

have seen many people make the serious error of imagining 
that the peaches, plums, pears, or apples should not be 
picked until they are thoroughly soft or in the condition 
which one would like to have them when pulling from the 
tree to eat at once. This is a mistake. Anticipate the 
ripening period by two or three days, when they are to be 
put on the local market, and they will be picked at the 
proper time in order to secure the best results. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



VARIETIES OF FRUIT THAT SHOULD SUCCEED 
IN THE SOUTH. 

Varieties Recommended For the Upper South. 

Apples : 

Early Varieties — Yellow Transparent, Red June, Early Harvest, 
Horse, Maiden Blush, Wealthy. 

Mid-Scaison — Kinnard, Bonum, Grimes, Delicious. 

Winter — York Imperial, White Pippin, Rome Beauty, Royal 
* Limbertwig, Winesap, Stayman Winesap. 

Pears : 

Keiffer, Seckel and Bartlett. 

Peaches : 

Named in order of ripening: Mayflower, Greensboro, Arp 
Beauty, Carman, Hiley, Belle of Georgia, Elberta, Late 
Crawford, Chairs, Smock, Salway. 

Plums : 

Native Varieties — America, Munson, Wild Goose. 

European Varieties — Green Gage, Purple Damson, Shropshire 

Damson. 
Japanese Varieties — Red June, Burbank, Abundance. 

Cherries : 

Sour Varieties — English Morello, Montmorency, Richmond. 
Sweet Varieties — Tartarian, Windsor, Spanish. 

Raspberries : 

Black Variety — Cumberland. 
Red Variety — Cuthbert. 
Yellozv Variety — Golden Queen. 
Purple Variety — Columbian. 

Blackberries : 

Early Harvest, Eldorado. 

Dewberries 
Lucretia. 

Grapes : 

White Variety — White Niagara. 

Red Variety — Brighton, Delaware, Lutie, Catawba. 

Black Variety — Concord, Moore, Worden and Ives. 

Quince : 

Angers, Ciiampion, Meech, Orange. 



Fruit That Should Succeed in the South 63 

Varieties of Fruit Reccom mended For the Middle 
South. 

Apples : 

Early Varieties— Red /\.strachan, Horse, Yellow Transparent, 
Red June, Early Harvest, Bledsoe, May (very early), Wil- 
liams. 

Mid-Season — Bonum, Kinnard, Delicious, Grimes, Virginia 
Beauty. 

Winter — Winesap, Yates, Terry, Jonathan, Stayman Winesap, 
York Imperial. 

Pears : 

Keififer, Early Harvest, Leconte, Seckel. 

Peaches : 

Early to late summer and. even into the fall in order of ripen- 
ing — Mayflower, Sneed, Greensboro, Red Bird, Carman, 
Hiley, Belle of Georgia, Elberta, Late Crawford, Munson 
Free, Eaton's Gold, Salway, Stinson and Gladstone. 

Plums : 

The same varieties as planted in the upper South should be used. 

Cherries : 

Only sour varieties should be planted : English Morello, May 
Duke, Richmond, Montmorency and Baldwin. 

Raspberries : 

Cumberland, Gregg (both black) ; Cuthbert, St. Regis (both 
red). 

Blackberries : 

Early Harvest, Eldorado, Wilson. 

Dewberries : 

Lucretia. 

White Grapes : 

Niagara, Diamond. 

Red Grapes : 

Lutie, Agawam, Catawba, Brighton, Delaware. 

Black Grapes : 

Concord, Carman, Moore's Early, Campbell's Early and Worden. 

Persinimons : 
Japanese. 



64 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

Figs : 

Brown Turkey, Celeste and Iscliia. 

Scuppernong Grapes : 

Scuppernong, Thomas (reddish purple), Black Misch, James, 
Flowers, Eden and Memory. 

Mulberries : 

These should be planted for the hogs and chickens, but ripening 
quite early in season are not distasteful to eat; Hick's 
Everbearing, Black English and Browning. 

Pecans : 

Delmas, Frotscher, Money-Maker, Schley, Stuart, Van Deman — 
for the lower part of the middle South. Indiana and Man- 
tura — for the upper part of the middle South. 

Pomegranate : 

The pomegranate can be grown in the lower part of the middle 
South. 

Quinces : 

Angers, Champion, Meech and Orange. 

Varieties of Fruit Recommended For the Lower 

South. 

Apples : 

For the lower South, apples do not do well as a rule. How- 
ever, the following varieties will be the best to depend on : 
Horse, Early Harvest, Red June, Yellow Transparent, 
Kinnard, Terry and Fanny. 

Pears : 

Keiffer, Le Conte, Garber. 

Peaches : 

Florida Gem, Honey, Jewel, Waldo, Angel, Imperial, Pollas, 
Climax, Japan Dwarf, Colon, Cobbler, Onderdonk, Estelle, 
Hall Yellow, Dorothy. 

Cherries : 

Will not grow satisfactorily in the' lower South. 

Persimmons : 

Japanese persimmons are at home, of course, in this section. 
The most largely planted varieties : Tanenashi, Eureka 
(hardy variety), Zengi (early variety). Castata and Ormond 
are late varieties. 



Fruit That Should Succeed in the South 65 

Figs: 

Celeste, Brown Turkey, Brunswick, Ischia, Magnolia, Lemon. 
Magnolia is grown very little except in southern Texas, 
but is the leading variety of that section. 

Grapes : 

White Grapes — Wapanuka, Krause, Niagara, Hidalgo. 
Red Variety — Brighton, Valhallah. Captivator,\ Agawam. 
Black Variety — Carman, Cloeta, Champenel and R. W. Munson. 

Scuppernongs : 

Raspberries : 

Dewberries : 

Blackberries 

Mulberries : 

All varieties suitalile for the middle South will prove satis- 
factor}' in the lower South. 

Pecans : 

Well known varieties like Delmas, Frotscher, Money-Maker, 
Schley, Stuart, Van Deman. 

Walnut : 

In both sections of the lower South the Englisli walnut can be 
planted to a limited extent. 

Orange : 

The satsuma orange will do well in the upper part of the lower 
South. It grows well in the vicinity around Mobile, in 
northern Florida, portions of Louisiana and Texas. Of 
course, no attempt is made in this article to give a general 
list of the citrus fruits that are suitable for the lower South. 

No effort has been made to name all of the different 
varieties that will do wdl in the different sections of the 
South. We have, of course, omitted some varieties that 
will do well and that may be especially favored by some 
people. Jwst keep in mind that our purpose in giving this 
list of varieties is to name a list that will, under average 
conditions, prove satisfactory in the section for which they 
are named. 



66 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 




LXCELLENT 
5PECEMEN5 
'''(7/"flPPLE5,PEL^ChE5 
flND GRAPES 



DD 



CHAPTER XV. 



TOOLS NEEDED TO DO FIRST-CLASS PRUNING. 

Don't Use Carpenter's Saw. — No one can grow the best 
fruit, or even satisfactory fruit, unless the trees are prop- 
erly pruned. No one can do the right ki«d of pruning 
without having the proper tools for doing the work. We 
have seen many trees butchered by persons attempting to 
prune with an ordinary carpenter's saw and axe. 

Four Different Tools Are Needed. — Where only a few 
fruit trees are grow-n in the home orchard, at least four 
different tools ai'e needed and these are as follows : ( 1 ) 
pruning knife, (2) hand pruning shears, (3) pruning saw, 
(4) a pair of long-handled pruning shears. 

Pruning Knife Needed. — One can, of course, do without 
the pruning knife, but this is not desirable, because often 
neither the long-handled nor the hand pruning shears, nor 
pruning saw will do the work under certain conditions quite 
so well as a pruning knife. Neither will an ordinary pocket 
knife do the work so well, because a pruning knife has what 
is commonly known as a hooked bill. This is nothing more 
nor less than a knife with the blade curving inward so as to 
give the principal cutting power to the blade near the end. 

Long-Handled Shears Give Much Power. 

Hand Shears Essential. — The long-handled pruning 
shears, which are also illustrated along with this chapter, are 
highly desirable, because by using two hands, and by means 
of these long handles, great cutting power can be secured. 
The hand pruning shears, illustrated in this chapter, are the 
ones with which most of the pruning should be done, but 
the long-handled ones will be needed on practically every 
tree. Therefore, be sure to get these and do not try to do 
the work with the small hand shears entirely. 

Shape of Saw. — The pruning saw illustrated along with 
this chapter is of the proper shape. Notice that the blade 
is narrow and curved. It is curved in such manner as to 



68 



How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 



make cutting as easy as possible. Under no condition should 
one try to use an ordinary carpenter's saw, because this is 




The Right Shaped 
Pruning Saw 




Long-handled 
Pruning Shears 



Hand Pruning 
Shears 



Pruning Knife 



SO wide as to make it impossible to saw off the branches 
without knocking the bark off the tree in many places. The 
saw shown herewith, or even a straight saw with a narrow 
blade, should always be used in preference to the ordinary 
wide carpenter's saw. 

Cost of Tools. — The purpose of this chapter is not to 
attempt to tell how to prune fruit trees, but to point out 
exactly what one needs before first-class pruning can be 
done. Just make up your mind once for all that unless at 
least these four tools are on hand, first-class pruning is next 
to impossible. 

The cost of these four tools will vary from $7.00 up, 
depending on the quality. As a rule, however, one can 
safely count on buying the four for around $7.00 or $8.00, 
and by spending this much one can secure tools that are 
reasonably good and that should do the work expected of 
them. 



CHAPTER XM. 



WINTER SPRAYING OF FRUIT TREES. 

What Is Spraying? — Spraying is nothing more nor less 
than applying a poison to insects and fungous pests for the 
purpose of destroying them. The kind of poison to be used 
depends on the kind of insect or fungous pfist one is trying 
to destroy. For this reason, it is necessary to know some- 
thing about the habits and the life history of an insect or 
fungous pest before determining just exactly what kind of 
spray material should be used and when it should be ap- 
plied. 

Two Kinds of Spraying. — In the hrst place, spraying 
can be divided into two general divisions : ( 1 ) winter 
spraying; (2) summer spraying. Winter spraying is usually 
done for the purpose of killing insects which must be 
sprayed with a material that is so strong that it will kill 
them just by coming in contact with them. 

How to Spray For San Jose Scale. — Under this head 
comes one of the most desctructive and one of the most 
commonly known insect pests, the San Jose scale. Pests of 
this kind must be killed, not with poison, but by having 
applied to them a spray mixture that is strong enough to 
burn the insect to death when it comes in contact with it. 

In other words, the San Jose scale takes its food from 
the juice of the tree or the fruit, and therefore, any poison 
applied directly to the tree or the fruit or the foliage would 
have no effect on this pest. 

Two Classes of Insects. — In order to make this point 
clear, we would like to bring out the point that insect pests 
are of two classes: (1) biting and (2) sucking. Those that 
bite and eat the leaves, or the fruit itself, can be killed by 
putting on the fruit or leaves a poison that will kill them 
when they eat it ; but those that secure their food from the 
juices inside the fruit or under the bark must be killed by 
having something put on them that will kill them when it 
comes in contact with them. 



70 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

San Jose Scale Scourge of Fruit Trees. 

Scale Worst of All Pests. — It must be kept in mind that 
this terrible pest, San Jose scale, probably causes the death 
of more fruit trees than all other fungous diseases and 
insect pests combined. It is a regular scourge to fruit trees. 
Literally thousands and hundreds of thousands of fruit 
trees die every year from the damage caused by this pest. 

How to Detect San Jose Scale. — I'he presence of San 
Jose scale on the fruit trees can usually be detected by 
carefully examining the bark. If it is covered or even 
speckled with an ashy gray substance that appears to be 
little round gray spots, the chances are that this pest is 
present. By rubbing the knife blade rather hard over the 
place where one thinks the scale is present in large num- 
bers, a yellowish substance may exude. This is a pretty 
conclusive proof that this pest is present. Keep in mind 
that the San Jose scale is a little insect, yellow in color, 
living directly under a thin shell or scale. The shell or 
scale is grayish in color, but the insect proper is yellow. 

Spray For Scale Only During Winter. 

Now, keep in mind that the only time one can put a 
spray on the fruit trees strong enough to kill the scale is 
during the winter. This is because of the fact that any- 
thing put on, earlier, or while the fruit trees are growing, 
would be strong enough to damage the trees. The home- 
made lime sulphur solution or the concentrated lime sulphur 
solution may be used. 

Use Commercial Solution For Scale. — As a rule, how- 
ever, it is more desirable to depend on the commercially 
prepared solution than it is to make it at home. Both of 
these can be secured from advertisers in farm papers, and 
these advertisers have distributors and dealers in these 
materials nearly all over the country. 

If for any reason anyone prefers to make the lime- 
sulphur wash at home, directions for doing so can be 




Winter Spraying of Fruit TRiihs 71 




i::;::. 3WBr>. 




Upper left is a knapsack spray pump. Upper right and center, barrel spray 
pumps, and at bottom, a power spray pump. 



72 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

secured either from your state agricultural college, your 
county agent or your farm paper. We would recommend, 
however, except where one is especially equipped for mak- 
ing this material, that the commercially prepared solution 
be used ; because our experience has been that, taking all 
things into consideration, the commercially prepared 
solution is either cheaper or proves more satisfactory in the 
long run. 

Spray After Pruning Is Done. 

Destroy Pruned Off Branches. — The spraying, probably, 
should be done after the winter pruning has been done. 
However, unless one will immediately gather up and burn 
the branches and twigs cut off the apple, peach or other 
trees, it is far better to let them remain on the trees until 
after the spraying, because if branches or twigs infested 
with San Jose scale are cut and left lying around on the 
ground, or in the edge of the orchard, these will serve as 
regular breeding patches for next year. Spraying is less 
trouble and takes less work and less spray material when 
pruning is done before the winter spraying is given, and 
we recommend that the pruning be done first and then the 
spraying. But remember, every twig and branch cut off 
should be burned in order to avoid any possibilitiy of having 
the orchard re-infested with pests from these pruned off 
branches. 

Keep 'Spray Solution Thoroughly Stirred. 

Agitator Must Be Kept Working. — Too much attention 
cannot be given to this matter of seeing that the agitator 
in the barrel or tank is in good shape at all times,, because 
if for any reason this should break or not work well, it 
means that the spray mixture will not be thoroughly mixed, 
and that part of the time you will be spraying with a mix- 
ture that is too strong, and at other times you will be 
spraying with nearly pure water. 



Winter Spraying of Fruit Trees T^ 

Never Leave Solution in Tank. -It is of the utmost 
importance that the spray mixture should not be lett m 
the barrel or spray tank, because the chemicals in the spray 
mixture are so strong that they will, in a comparatively 
short time, absolutely destroy the pump. These chemicals 
will eat it out and destroy it in a very short time. There- 
fore when each spraying is completed, see that every 
particle of the spray solution is cleaned from the barrel or 
lank In order to be sure that the pump is protected against 
these chemicals, it is advisable not only to take the spray 
mixture out. but run through a considerable amount ot 
water so as to rinse these chemicals off. 

Wear Old Clothes While Spraying.— In doing this spray- 
ing with lime-sulphur wash or scalecide, it is desirable for 
those doing the spraying to wear old clothes, or an old slicker 
overcoat because this material is quite strong and caustic and 
will very readilv ruin good clothes. We don't mean that it 
will burn them as soon as it comes in contact with them, but 
it will injure them and cause them to wear out very quickly. 
It is also desirable to keep this material out of the eyes, 
because it does not feel good one bit, and in fact, may do 
some injury to the eyes if too much is allowed to get into 
them. 

Give Second Spraying Before Buds Swell.— Where San 
lose scale is serious, it is desirable to spray twice each 
winter in order to control the pest. Give the first spraying 
in early winter and the second spraying in the late winter. 
Keep in mind, however, that the second spraying must be 
given before the buds begin to swell and come out. because 
just as surely as this solution is applied to the fruit trees 
after the buds begin to show, strong enough to kill the scale, 
the tree will be damaged. 

Spraying a Good Form of Insurance. 

Kills Fungous Diseases Also.— These sprayings will 
serve as an insurance against serious damage by this pest. 
Furthermore, spraving of this kind not only kills the San 



74 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

Jose and other scale insects that may be present, but de- 
stroys Hterally thousands of fungous disease spores, such as 
black rot, brown rot, etc., that may have given trouble the 
past summer. Keep in mind that these plant diseases go 
through the winter in the spore form and that ordinary 
winter weather does not kill the spores. However, it has 
been thoroughly demonstrated that this lime-sulphur or 
scalecide wash that is used for San Jose scale destsroys 
large numbers of these plant disease spores. 

If in Doubt, Spray. — Therefore, even if you think you 
have no scale, which we very much doubt to be the case, it 
will still be a good idea to go ahead and spray. You can 
rest assured that you will be taking out a good form of 
insurance against the scale and that you will do enough 
good in the way of killing plant disease spores to make 
the spraying worth while from the dollars-and-cents stand- 
point. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



SPRING AND SUMMER SPRAYS FOR DIFFERENT 

FRUITS. 

To Control Peach Worm. — Spraying Peaches to control 
curculio, aphis, leaf curl, brown rot, scab, etc., will have to 
be started early. The curculio is a black beetle-like insect. 
It punctures, a hole in the young peach, lays an egg in it, 
and this egg hatches into the peach worm that bores around 
in the peach and makes it second-class fruit. It is the early 
spring spraying that will help to control this pest. 

Spray With Lime Sulphur. — The first spraying should 
be given the peach just as the blossom or shuck from the 
bloom begins to fall off the young fruit. Self-boiled lime- 
sulphur should be used for this spraying. This self-boiled 
lime-sulphur is for the purpose of controlling the leaf curl, 
brown rot and scab. To control the curculio or worm, 
arsenate of lead or some other poison should be added. 
About two pounds of arsenate of lead to 50 gallons of the 
spray mixture is about the right quantity. 

Second and Third Sprayings. — To properly control 
worms in peaches and the plant diseases mentioned above, 
another spraying with the same material should be given 
about three weeks after the first spraying. Then just before 
the peaches begin to show signs of ripening, still another 
spraying should be given, using either the self -boiled lime- 
sulphur or the concentrated lime-sulphur solution. No 
arsenate of lead need be added for this spraying, as the 
curculio or worm is no longer the trouble, and this spraying 
is for the purpose of controlling the brown rot and scab. 

Sprays For Apples and Pears. 

Apples, pears and quince must also have rather thorough 
spraying during spring and summer if one would grow first- 
class fruit. Not only do diseases attack the apple, but the 
codlinsf moth insect causes these fruits a great deal of 



76 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 




Six different kinds of spray nozzles are shown above. Lower 
left is an extension rod. Small bucket spray pumps of different 
types are shown in the center and at the bottom. 



Spring and Summer Sprays T1 

damage. This codling moth is the mature insect which lays 
the egg that hatches into the worm that is so often found 
in apples, and it is the early spring and summer sprayings 
that must be given in order to control this pest. 

When to Spray Apples, Pears, Etc. — The first spring 
spraying of apples should be given just as the last of the 
blossoms begin to fall. The Bordeaux mixture or concen- 
trated lime-sulphur solution plus 2 pounds of arsenate of 
lead should be used. The Bordeaux or lime-sulphur con- 
trols the diseases and the arsenate of lead looks after the 
codling moth and the leaf-eating insects, ^yhatever they 
may be. 

When to Use Bordeaux. — -For the first spring spraying 
of apples, pears, and quince, the concentrated lime-sulphur 
solution may be used instead of Bordeaux mixture. If it is 
used, mix it in the proportion of one gallon of concentrated 
lime-sulphur to 35 to 40 gallons of water, plus the 2 pounds 
of arsenate of lead. For the second and third sprayings, 
however, the Bordeaux mixture should be used, because the 
Bordeaux controls blotch much better than the lime-sulphur 
In fact, most apple growers would not think of using any- 
thing other than Bordeaux for these later sprayings in 
order to control the blotch. 

Second and Third Sprayings For Apples. — About three 
weeks after the first spring spraying is given to the apples 
and pears, the second spraying should be given, using the 
same spray solution as used for the first. A third spraying 
three weeks after the second should be given, using the 
same spray material. 

Spring and Summer Sprays For Grapes. 

Start Just Before Blooms Come Out. — For grapes the 
first spraying should be given just before the blooms come 
out, for the purpose of controlling the berry moth and the 
leaf hopper ; also for controlling anthracnose, mildew and 
black rot. For this spraying use Bordeaux mixture of the 
3-4-50 formula plus 2 pounds of arsenate of lead. The 



78 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

Bordeaux mixture, of course, controls the plant diseases 
and the arsenate of lead is put on to kill the leaf-eating 
insects. Then just after the fruit is well set, another spray- 
ing with the same material used for the first spraying should 
be given, for the same insects and plant diseases. 

Grapes Require Frequent Spraying. — -Approximately 
two weeks to 18 or 20 days later give the third spraying. 
For this spraying the same mixture is recommended as for 
the first and second spraying. 

In some instances a fourth, a fifth, and even a sixth 
spraying may be necessary in order to thoroughly control 
anthracnose, mildew, and black rot of the grape. It is the 
black rot that causes more trouble than possibly all the other 
diseases combined on the grape. All are quite familiar with 
this disease, as very often it attacks the grape to such an 
extent that a very small portion of them ripens. It is only 
by thorough spraying, and a sufficient number of times at 
that, that this trouble can be prevented, and it is very well 
worth while indeed. 

On opposite page will be found a spray calendar in con- 
densed form, and from which definite information as to 
when and with what to spray may be easily secured. 

Number Sprayings to Be Given. 

In our spray calendar, we have arranged four spray- 
ings ; one during the winter, and three spring and early 
summer sprayings. Where an orchard is very heavily in- 
fested with San Jose scale, a spraying in late fall and one 
in late winter for this pest will be found advisable. As a 
rule, however, one of these winter sprayings with lime- 
sulphur solution will be found sufficient. 

Three Sprayings Necessary. — It is also true that more 
than three spring and early summer sprayings may be 
desirable under certain conditions, and it is equally true 
that under other conditions, two sprayings may suffice. We 
do not believe, however, that anyone should ever give less 
than two of the spring or early summer sprayings, it mat- 



Spring and Summer Sprays 



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80 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

ters not how ideal the conditions may be, or how free from 
fungous and insect pests the fruit seems to be. We know 
that spraying is laborious and costly work, and the owner 
of a home orchard does not want to do more spraying than 
is actually necessary. To be safe we should say, however, 
that nothing less than three spring or early summer spray- 
ings should be given, unless the weather is quite dry and 
conditions in every respect are ideal to keep down insect 
and fungous pests. The later maturing varieties of peaches 
and apples will naturally need more spraying than the early 
maturing varieties. 

Keep Spray Materials on Hand. — It is often difficult to 
secure the spray mixtures or spray materials when one 
waits until the last minute before buying them. There- 
fore, the only proper thing to do is to buy these materials 
considerably in advance. The concentrated lime-sulphur 
can be secured from any number of firms advertising in 
farm papers, and in many instances, from the local drug 
stores or seed houses. A supply of these should be kept on 
hand at all times. 

Bordeaux mixture can also be bought in concentrated 
form, but those who prefer to do so can make it at home. 
Directions for making this mixture are. given elsewhere in 
this book. 

Use Spray Mixture Soon After Making. — The self- 
boiled lime-sulphur wash cannot be bought in concentrated 
form and must be made at home, and it should be used in 
a reasonable length of time after it is made, as it will not 
keep for a very great length of time. 

Every person having a home orchard should, however, 
keep on hand a liberal supply of the concentrated lime 
sulphur solution, concentrated Bordeaux mixture, arsenate 
of lead, flowers of sulphur, stone or unslaked lime and 
bluestone, or copper sulphate. In addition to this, some 
of the other spray mixtures such as black leaf 40, scalecide. 
kerosene emulsion, etc., will be found useful. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



HOW TO MAKE THE SUMMER SPRAY 
MIXTURES. 

Bordeaux Mixture. — Of all the spray mixtures used 
during the summer, none is probably more commou or more 
often used than Bordeaux mixture. It is nothinc:; more nor 
less than a mixture of bluestone. rock lime and water, and 
is called a fungicide, because of its action in destroying 
fungous spores such as those causing the rot of fruits and 
various other diseases of the fruit and leaves. 

Every person having a spray pump (and this should 
mean everyone having a few fruit trees and growing a few 
vegetables, grapes, etc.) should know just exactly how to 
make Bordeaux mixture. At least, everyone should 
know just what purpose it serves and how to apply 
it, because if one does not care to make it. it can 
very easily be bought, as it is put up by commercial firms, 
and put into cans of many sizes, from a quart up. Of 
course, it is put up in the concentrated form, and to put it 
in the right shape for use dilute it with water according to 
instructions which come with each can or container. 

How to Make Bordeaux Mixture. — Following is the 
method of making Bordeaux mixture at home : Take four 
pounds of bluestone and put it in a sack, and suspend the 
sack in a tub or other convenient vessel, which vessel should 
contain as many gallons of water as there are pounds of 
bluestone. In other words, if you are dissolving four 
pounds of bluestone put it in a vessel containing four gal- 
lons of water; if you are dissolving three pounds, put it in 
three gallons. Use a wooden vessel, as when it is put into 
;i tin or other metal vessel, some chemical action takes place 
between the metal and the bluestone. 

Suspend Bluestone in Water. — Suspend this sack con- 
taining the bluestone in such way that the bluestone is 
barely covered by water. Put it in late some afternoon and 



82 How TO Succeed ^^'ITH the Home Orchard 

allow it to remain in water during the night, and it should 
all be dissolved by morning. If the bluestone is thrown 
down in the bottom of the water, it will dissolve very slowly, 
but by suspending it, it will dissolve much more rapidly. 
This gives a stock solution that can be kept and used as 
needed. However, it should be kept in a wooden vessel 
and carefully covered. 

To Make 50 Gallons of Bordeaux Mixture. — Now when 
you are ready to make up 50 gallons of the Bordeaux 
mixture, take 5 pounds of rock lime and slake it by adding 
enough water to complete the slaking, and make a thin 
paste. Then pour into the barrel or other container where 
the spray mixture is being made, say 25 or 30 gallons of 
water ; then pour in the solution obtained by slaking the 5 
pounds of rock lime. Then dip from the stock solution of 
bluestone enough of the mixture to get into this barrel four 
pounds of bluestone, and if the foregoing directions were 
followed, this would mean the dipping of four gallons of this 
stock solution ; because we have .said to dissolve the bluestone 
in as many gallons of water as there are pounds of bluestone. 
What is needed then is 4 pounds of bluestone, 5 pounds of 
rock lime, and 50 gallons of Bordeaux mixture, and when 
all of this is in the barrel together, stir thoroughly and you 
are ready for spraying. 

Bordeaux Used on Nearly All Fruits. 

Bordeaux is used for spraying apples, grapes, potatoes, 
tomatoes, and various other fruits. It is a fungicide and 
prevents the rot of apples, grapes, blight of potatoes, to- 
matoes, etc. Wherever one is using the Bordeaux and 
wishes to get after some of the insects that eat the fruit, 
such as the worm in the apple, the bug on the potato, etc., 
all that is necessary to make this spray a double-barrel shot- 
gun is to add to the Bordeaux 2>^ to 3 pounds of arsenate 
of lead to each 50 gallons of the mixture. This gives you 
•something that will get both the diseases and the insects. 



How TO Make Summer Spray Mixtures 83 

Never Use Slaked Lime. — It must not be forgotten that 
in making this mixture, air-slaked hme or a poor grade of 
hme must not be used. Only the very highest grade of rock 
lime that has not been slaked and is high-class in every 
respect must be used. 

It is also important to add a sufficient amount of water 
to the lime when it is slaking to prevent burning. Not only 
must a sufficient quantity of water be added, but stirring 
must be kept up constantly. The lime should be kept almost 
covered with water. If this is not done, then the slaking 
will not be properlv done and undesirable i^esults will be 
obtained. 

Concentrated Solution Retains Strength. — ^Bcforc add- 
ing the arsenate of lead or anything of this kind to the 
spray mixture, it should be made into a thin milky solution 
by adding water to it. In other words, don't add the pure 
arsenate of lead to the spray mixture, but dilute it with 
water into a thin milky solution before it is added. 

Keep Mixture Covered. — And keep in mind that Bor- 
deaux mixture loses its strength if not used soon after 
making. Of course, the concentrated solution, properly 
covered and handled will retain its strength, but after it is 
diluted and put into the barrel or other container for spray- 
ing, it should be used as soon as possible. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



STORING APPLES FOR WINTER. 

Apples are not so easily kept in storage during the 
winter in the South as in the North. This may sound 
strange, but it is a fact. The wanner the weather in the 
winter, the greater the difficulty in keeping the apples 
from rotting. 

Never Store Apples While Warm. — In the middle and 
upper part of the South, however, there is no reason why 
everyone should not be able to keep well into winter and 
early spring some of the late winter apples. To do this, 
however, they must be picked at the right time and stored 
in the right place and in the right way. The important 
point is to pick them as soon as they are ripe, but do not 
pick them until they are thoroughly ripe. 

Another important point is to see that they are properly 
cooled before they are carried into the storage place. An 
ideal way is to pick the apples on a cloudy day, or early in 
the morning before they get warm, and put them in the 
shade, allowing them to remain there during the day; then 
spread them out in tht- open during the night and let them 
get thoroughly cooled. Of course, they should not be put 
where they will be covered with dew, but put under a shelter 
or some place of that kind. Then, early the next morning 
put them into the storage place, wherever that may be. 

Proper Ventilation Essential. 

Those houses that are equipped with cellars that are 
well ventilated are all right for storing apples. After car- 
rying them into the cellar or other storage place, keep it 
closed during the day so the heat of the day will not pene- 
trate so much. Open up at night so as to permit the cool 
air to enter and then shut the door the following morning 
before it eets warm. 



Storing Apples For Winter 85 

This same method can be practiced, nut only with cellars 
but with a boxed up place under the house, provided, of 
course, it is so arranged that it can be well ventilated and 
is not near a place where it will become too warm from 
the chimney or other heating" apparatus of the house. 

Store Apples When Properly Matured. — The proper 
thing to remember is to put the apples in storage when they 
are properly matured, see that they are thoroughly dry and 
cool when put in storage, and that they are put into such 
place that will permit of thorough ventilation. Of course, 
they must be put in such place that they can be protected 
from severe cold spells to prevent freezing, but in most 
sections of the South there will be far less danger of the 
apples freezing than there will be of rotting from becoming 
too warm. Therefore, special precaution must be taken to 
see to it that they be put in a place where they can be kept 
cool enough. Where one apple rots in storage in the South 
from freezing, there are a hundred that rot from becoming 
too warm. 

Store Apples in Slatted Boxes. 

In storing away apples for the winter, whether they are 
I)ut in a cellar, under the house, in the barn, or some other 
place, it is a good idea to put them in boxes, preferably 
slatted boxes. These may hold from a half bushel to three 
pecks or a bushel. Put them in boxes and then pack up the 
boxes, one on top of the other, but do not pack them too 
closely. Let there be plenty of room between each row of 
l)oxes for air to circulate freely. 

Where one has only just a few bushels to store, it is 
all right to put them in any kind of box or basket, but 
preferably boxes that are slatted so as to permit the air to 
circulate as nearly all around the apples as possible. 

Keep in mind that it doesn't matter so much where the 
apples are put for storage if one can put them in a place 
where they will not get too warm and prevent their freezing 



86 How TO Succeed With the Home Orchard 

on the few nights that are cold enough for them to freeze. 
These are the important points, and if these simple directions 
are kept in mind, there is no reason why everyone in the 
central and upper part of the South should not store some 
of the late apples for winter use. 

Store Only Winter Varieties. 

Of course, one should not attempt to store the summer 
or early fall varieties for winter use. Take the late matur- 
ing varieties and those that keep well, like the Winesap, 
Limber Twig and other varieties of this kind. 'Jliey will 
keep far more easily than will the early fall varieties. 

Remove Covering When All Danger of Freezing Has 
Passed. — We have seen a few bushels of apples kept sue- 
successfully well into the winter by putting them in a well 
ventilated barn. When a cold spell came along some hay, 
straw or fodder w^as thrown over them, taking care, of 
course, to remove the hay or straw as soon as all danger of 
freezing had passed. 

Now, while it is important to store apples where they 
will not freeze, we want to again emphasize the point that 
it is the heat, or the apples becoming too warm that one 
should give more attention than anything else. Those who 
will put them in properly cooled and keep them cool with- 
out allowing them to freeze, will have no trouble in keeping 
them a reasonable length of time during the winter, or 
even into the early spring. • 



// You Live in the South 

There is an edition of The Progressive Farmer made to 
meet your exact needs. 

Th<; Progressive Farmer is not just one paper made to 
cover the entire South. It is four papers, each called The 
Progressive Farmer. 

Carolinas-Virginia Edition 

Clarence Poe, Editor in Charge 
The Progressive Farmer known as our Can>- 
linas-Virginia edition is edited at Raleigh, N. 
C., and is made to cover the exact needs of 
the farmers of Virginia, North Carolina and 
Sontli Carolina. 

Georgia-Alabama Edition 

VV. C. Lassetter, Editor in Charge 
Anotiier edition is edited in Atlanta, Georgia, 
and P.irmingliam, Ala. This is our Georgia- 
Alahama edition and made to cover the needs 
of our reader friends in (ieorgia, Alabama and 
Florida. 

Mississippi Valley Edition 

Tai r r>UTLER, Editor in Charge 
This edition is edited in Memphis, Tennessee. This is known as our 
^Mississippi Valley edition and is made to cover the exact needs of our 
readers in Tennessee, .Vlississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. 

Texas Edition 

(i. H. Alford, Editor in Charge 
Our Texas edition is edited in Dallas, Texas, and made to cover the 
exact needs of Texas. 

In whatever section of the South you may live, there is an edition 
of The Progressive Farmer made especially for you. The Progressive 
Farmer is a weekly paper —52 big issues a year; — subscription price 
$1 per year, and sold on a guaranteed basis; that is, if at the end of 
the year you do not feel that you have had more than j'our money's 
worth, you to be the judge, notify us, and we will gladly refund your 
money. You have all to gain, and nothing to lose when you subscribe 
for The Progressive Farmer. 

THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER 




EDITORS 

Clarence Poe 
Tait Butler 
Mrs. W. N. Kutt 
H. O. Pate 
G. H. Alfor.l 
W. C. Lassetter 



CONTRIBUTING EDITORS 



(has. H. Alvord 
1). N. Barrow 
Eugene Butler 
J. F. Duggar 
A. L. French 
C. I. Haydeii 
II. II. Harrington 
.S. C. Hoyle 
Marry .'\. Kapp 



A. M. Lathein 
VV. F. Massey 

E. IL Mathewson 
C. K. McClelland 

B. L. Moss 
L. .\. Niven 

B. Parks 
T. B. Parker 

F. T. Rothpletz 
W."T. Williams 



H 



Raleigh. N. C. Atlanta, Ga. Birmingham, Ala. Memphis, Tenn. Dallas. Texas 



